A 'Do' & 'Messages'

az2wp0sye65487

Where did these expressions come from? My folks used them all the time & still do.

"I'm going to get the messages" (grocery shopping) or "going to do a message" (running an errand)

Also, a party being referred to as a "do": "their Christmas do is next weekend" etc...

I'm sure I've used these terms loads over the years; and most Irish people know exactly what they mean...

But where did they come from????

The Backwards Man

People used to write a list and send the servant to the shop with it, message.

People always play Sting records at parties, ado.

Dolbert

A package of King Tayto and a mineral for the childer

_Kaiser_

Personally I just don't get the "Happy out" one that you hear from the South East direction of the country,

Happy out?? Out where FFS!

A lady told me today that she loved my rigout

Filmer Paradise

I was in 'murica some years ago.

When I used to say 'I'm goin out to smoke a Fag'......

The shock on their little faces.:eek:

Loopy

My dad always says, 'give me the particulars'..
Details old man, details.
Not particulars...

pebbles21

When i was a nipper ..my Aunties used to send me to the Chemist to collect a "message"

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

pebbles21 wrote: »

When i was a nipper ..my Aunties used to send me to the Chemist to collect a "message"

Your aunties were junkies.

The Backwards Man

Deleted User wrote: »

A lady told me today that she loved my rigout

That's from the rigging on a ship, a good rig out means the sails are well supported and sturdy for seafaring.

edit, it's a compliment, definitely always a compliment!

gipi

And how about 'wetting a drop of tea' when you got home from doing the messages?! My father still says that!

goose2005

Filmer Paradise wrote: »

I was in 'murica some years ago.

When I used to say 'I'm goin out to smoke a Fag'......

The shock on their little faces.:eek:

Not to mention this classic Indo headline

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/how-i-beat-the-fags-26342722.html

BlaasForRafa

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Personally I just don't get the "Happy out" one that you hear from the South East direction of the country,

Happy out?? Out where FFS!

That's a wexford thing "hon", don't be dragging the rest of the south east into this boy/girl

GalwayGirl26

My grandmother still says "doing a line" if somebody has started dating.

Sh1tbag OToole

Ember Colossal Matchmaking wrote: »

Where did these expressions come from? My folks used them all the time & still do.

"I'm going to get the messages" (grocery shopping) or "going to do a message" (running an errand)

Also, a party being referred to as a "do": "their Christmas do is next weekend" etc...

I'm sure I've used these terms loads over the years; and most Irish people know exactly what they mean...

But where did they come from????

Messages is like the Dutch 'Boodschappen' which has the same 2 meanings. As a young lad I just always thought 'getting the messages' was directly translated Dutch and that the people saying it had a bit of dutch in them

Mountainsandh

That's only guessing but I always thought the messages was because before the spread of private telephones, or even a proper postal delivery system, people might have relied on the grocer to pass on messages, so when off shopping they killed 2 birds with a stone.

coolhull

''He's 'coorting' (courting, dating) a new girl friend now''

Smidge

Deleted User wrote: »

A lady told me today that she loved my rigout

Or wearing a "get up" as in "Did you see the get up on her?"

Also, I think the "do" thing is from the British expression "a bit of a to-do" ie when something happened

Sh1tbag OToole

coolhull wrote: »

''He's 'coorting' (courting, dating) a new girl friend now''

Its 'He's coortinagirlie now' said really fast as if it were a placename

Straylight

Smidge wrote: »

Or wearing a "get up" as in "Did you see the get up on her?"

Also, I think the "do" thing is from the British expression "a bit of a to-do" ie when something happened

There was a British TV series in the late 80s starring David Jason called A Bit of a Do, so the expression definitely isn't just limited to Ireland.

Rosie Rant

Whenever she sees me in heels my mum says I'm "like a turkey on stubbles" . If I ask her a question she doesn't remember the answer to she says "you're too hard on me". When I'm going away with my boyfriend she says "keep your hand on your ha'penny" . There are loads more of these phrases that I love.

Tony EH

Ember Colossal Matchmaking wrote: »

Where did these expressions come from? My folks used them all the time & still do.

"I'm going to get the messages" (grocery shopping) or "going to do a message" (running an errand)

Also, a party being referred to as a "do": "their Christmas do is next weekend" etc...

I'm sure I've used these terms loads over the years; and most Irish people know exactly what they mean...

But where did they come from????

Britain.

Summer wind

One of my friends always says "ah shure they were full of happy" when he means someone got what they wanted.

dee_mc

'full of happy' sounds so cute, I'm half tempted to steal that!
We never get messages in this house, we get 'provisions' for some reason...

Chucken

dee_mc wrote: »

'full of happy' sounds so cute, I'm half tempted to steal that!
We never get messages in this house, we get 'provisions' for some reason...

Do you live in an army barracks?

You go to Aldi / M n S for provisions?

Smidge

Rosie Rant wrote: »

Whenever she sees me in heels my mum says I'm "like a turkey on stubbles" . If I ask her a question she doesn't remember the answer to she says "you're too hard on me". When I'm going away with my boyfriend she says "keep your hand on your ha'penny" . There are loads more of these phrases that I love.

Again, a British reference Oirishified
A "tuppence" was Victorian slang that has continued on for a womans lady parts.
Back then it was the only thing a woman could have been sure of to make her some money if times got really tough.
So her lady parts were called her tuppence.

padd b1975

'I gave' instead of 'I spent'.



I gave the afternoon sleeping on the couch.

Annasopra

My Brother was in Canada years ago.

He was speaking to a woman and said "your man over there gave me something"


"What? He's not my Man"

valoren

Something fake in Cork is 'Mockeyah'

"She got a Gucci handbag in Spain for only €20"
"I betcha tis a mockeyah one"


And if you were going to hide something, sweets from the children say, then you say you Planked them.

y0ssar1an22

Filmer Paradise wrote: »

I was in 'murica some years ago.

When I used to say 'I'm goin out to smoke a Fag'......

The shock on their little faces.:eek:

Or worse, when you didn't have any....

I'm gonna go out and bum a fag :eek:

Gyalist

I've heard people in the Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada) refer to grocery shopping as "making the messages". It's not unique to Ireland.

Gyalist

Gyalist wrote: »

I've heard people in the Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada) refer to grocery shopping as "making the messages". It's not unique to Ireland.

Well lah de fcukin da.

They don't say it in Santa Ponsa let me tell you.

coolhull

"Will I put your name in the pot?'"

means I'm making a pot of tea, will you have some?

youtheman

I love these 'old sayings' and phrases as they are a link to the past. Our parents used them, we are only aware of them, and there is a danger that they are not going to get passed down and will be lost forever.

My late father used to lament that when he was young a 'joyrider' was someone who went out in a horse a cart for a 'jaunt' (i.e. going nowhere in particular) AND someone who stole a vehicle was called a 'thief'. How times have changed he used to say.

Trying to think of some of the old ones from my family 'fiddlers invite' was where you were invited to a do but asked to bring your fiddle (i.e. not a real invite, more you were being asked to work for your supper). So if you were asked to go somewhere and were suspicious about the intent you'd say 'that's a bloody fiddlers invitation'.

Sauve

coolhull wrote: »

"Will I put your name in the pot?'"

means I'm making a pot of tea, will you have some?

Around here that means food. As in "do you want dinner?"

yeppydeppy

"she has her glue" - a Dublin saying meaning she is happy.

seamus

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

My Brother was in Canada years ago.
He was speaking to a woman and said "your man over there gave me something"
"What? He's not my Man"

My wife used to get slagged about then when she lived in London. "Yer man over there...". "Who? My Man? He's not my man, is he your man?"

Also, "Thanks a mill" apparently gets a lot of strange looks in the UK. My wife says it all the time.

coolhull wrote: »

"Will I put your name in the pot?'"

means I'm making a pot of tea, will you have some?

"Will I include you in the pot?" is the way I've heard/said it. It can refer to tea or to food. Seems like it would be self-explanatory, but I guess if one isn't used to hearing these phrases, you'd be thrown off.

My guess on "the messages" is that The Backwards Man is right and it harks back to when one had servants (or children) who would be sent out with scraps of paper which they give to different shops or people. "Doing a message" means doing an errand, i.e. bringing a message to someone. "Getting the messages", refers to the fact that you'd give your grocer/chemist/baker your list, and then come back an hour or two later to collect the stuff, rather than stand there waiting.

Summer wind

My friends mam always tells us "there's novelties there in the press" when she makes tea. She means buns and biscuits.

lazygal

"Byebyebyebyebyebyebyebyebye. Bye."

biko

When I was young ma could send me to the shop for messages with a shilling and I'd get a dozen eggs, two loaves of bread, a stick of butter, a bag of flour and two pints of milk.




Can't do that these days.

Fecking security cameras everywhere...

Dolbert

'Saluting' someone, meaning to say hello!

dee_mc

Summer wind wrote: »

My friends mam always tells us "there's novelties there in the press" when she makes tea. She means buns and biscuits.

Hmmm sometimes called 'fubbages' in my house, possibly a Cork thing? Never heard anyone outside the family use that one!

Ash.J.Williams

I used to love cycling me bike to the shop to get the "messages", as i always had 50p left to buy a can of "mineral"!

seamus

Dolbert wrote: »

'Saluting' someone, meaning to say hello!

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=salute

"Salute" is generally used in military circles, but wouldn't be uncommon for someone to use it to describe greeting. You've probably also heard the phrase, "Greetings and salutations", which is the same thing.

The french word "Salut" comes from the same origin, and is the French equivalent of phrases like "good evening", i.e. it can be used when meeting or leaving, or just passing by.

coolhull

"That fella have some quare ways about him"
meaning he's a bit eccentric.

coolhull

"That fella have some quare ways about him"
meaning he's a bit eccentric.

Ash.J.Williams

i love using those old sayings..."rigout" etc....get funny looks sometimes using them.

The J Stands for Jay

yeppydeppy wrote: »

"she has her glue" - a Dublin saying meaning she is happy.

A reference to the dubs' love of solvent abuse.

Irish Guitarist

Be the hokey fly.

Mesrine65

"Don't be gammin on outta ya"...to talk shoite, apparently a sea faring term adopted by Dubs living around the dock areas.

uch

"Give Yer Man the Billy" is a favourite of mine