A 'Do' & 'Messages'

az2wp0sye65487 · 05-12-2014 12:02AM #1

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 · 05-12-2014 12:07AM

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 · 05-12-2014 12:16AM

A package of King Tayto and a mineral for the childer

_Kaiser_ · 05-12-2014 12:17AM

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!

05-12-2014 12:18AM

A lady told me today that she loved my rigout

Filmer Paradise · 05-12-2014 12:25AM

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 · 05-12-2014 12:27AM

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

pebbles21 · 05-12-2014 12:30AM

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

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 05-12-2014 12:32AM

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 · 05-12-2014 12:34AM

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 · 05-12-2014 12:34AM

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

goose2005 · 05-12-2014 01:06AM

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 · 05-12-2014 01:20AM

_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 · 05-12-2014 01:20AM

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

Sh1tbag OToole · 05-12-2014 01:26AM

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 · 05-12-2014 01:28AM

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 · 05-12-2014 01:29AM

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

Smidge · 05-12-2014 01:30AM

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 · 05-12-2014 01:33AM

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 · 05-12-2014 01:36AM

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 · 05-12-2014 01:40AM

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 · 05-12-2014 02:05AM

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 · 05-12-2014 02:14AM

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

dee_mc · 05-12-2014 02:17AM

'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 · 05-12-2014 04:38AM

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 · 05-12-2014 05:38AM

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 · 05-12-2014 06:59AM

'I gave' instead of 'I spent'.

I gave the afternoon sleeping on the couch.

Annasopra · 05-12-2014 08:11AM

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 · 05-12-2014 10:27AM

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 · 05-12-2014 11:03AM

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 · 05-12-2014 11:05AM

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

A 'Do' & 'Messages'

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