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it's grand?

2

Comments

  • #32
    TheBigGreen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 764 ✭✭✭TheBigGreen


    It's grand lawd


  • #33
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    Grand day for the race


  • #34
    Falcon L
    Closed Accounts Posts: 848 ✭✭✭Falcon L


    circadian wrote: »
    Aye, dead on.
    Stickin' out a mile. :D


  • #35
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    Falcon L wrote: »
    Stickin' out a mile. :D

    Wee buns.


  • #36
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 36,496 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Asmooh wrote: »
    Proper is what people should speak in London that are born and raised there and not living in a "cheaper" neighbourhood, as well as British was in the 1800's. For me, that is proper

    Also, Google tells me it is "1000": https://www.google.ie/search?q=what+is+a+grand

    You're 'avin a giraffe, mate.


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  • #37
    Junkyard Tom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,115 ✭✭✭✭Junkyard Tom


    When ye goooooooe will ye send baaack a lettur fruuum America
    Take a looooooke at the rail track, frum Miami to Can-a-da.


  • #38
    kfallon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,775 ✭✭✭✭kfallon


    Junkyard Tom wrote: »
    When ye goooooooe will ye send baaack a lettur fruuum America
    Take a looooooke at the rail track, frum Miami to Can-a-da.

    Oh you big bastard, now I'm singing along :mad:


  • #39
    Mesrine65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,949 ✭✭✭Mesrine65


    Asmooh wrote: »
    But after visiting Belfast a few times I notice they speak more proper over there, bit different compare to my friends in England but it sounds more proper.
    Don't be minding those feckers, they don't speak proper English like what we do ;):p


  • #40
    harry Bailey esq
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,814 ✭✭✭harry Bailey esq


    It basically means everything is irie Mon.


  • #41
    Samaris
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,544 ✭✭✭Samaris


    It's just one of those words. Maybe a bit like "stout" in Dutch, where it's got a faintly negative sense to it now, as in "bold/naughty", but it used to mean "bold/brave".

    Actually, that's a bit of an odd one in English too, since "bold" used to mean "brave", but now means "naughty". Grand (and "great" too) used to mean (and mostly still does elsewhere) big or large, as in French grande, but is commonly used here as "good".

    Other more widespread slang with a similar journey would be "epic" or "awesome", both of which should give an indication of scale rather than being "good".

    Think of "I'm grand!" as meaning "I am (largely) content."

    Interestingly, we have it at the other end too - fine indicates something is small, precise, delicate - a fine thread, fine weaving. "Fine weaving" in the most literal sense means that it is woven using very small threads in a very precise manner, but nowadays could be used more loosely to mean "that is very nice weaving".


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  • #42
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,948 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Asmooh wrote: »
    But after visiting Belfast a few times I notice they speak more proper over there, bit different compare to my friends in England but it sounds more proper.

    Maybe the interpreter just spoke more pwapah


  • #43
    Asmooh
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,462 ✭✭✭Asmooh


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    Maybe the interpreter just spoke more pwapah

    I was at the store, not going on a tour


  • #44
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,948 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Asmooh wrote: »
    I was at the store, not going on a tour

    And you understood the natives?

    Colour me impressed.


  • #45
    stoneill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,607 ✭✭✭stoneill


    Grand stretch in the evening.


  • #46
    Asmooh
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,462 ✭✭✭Asmooh


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    And you understood the natives?

    Colour me impressed.

    Yes, no problem at all.


  • #47
    youtheman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,504 ✭✭✭youtheman


    My son spent a year in the U.S. and he found that he always had to explain himself when he was asked how he was and replied 'Grand'.

    I think the origin of the use of this phrase is tied to the Irish propensity to be 'middle of the road'. If you told someone you were feeling bad, then they'd be obliged to delve a bit further. If you told then you were 'great' then they'd wonder why you were great (and they weren't). But 'grand' means 'I'm not boasting or complaining, I'm happy to keep my head down and not bring attention to myself - move on'.


  • #48
    imitation
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭imitation


    I like to think it came into use because as a nation of sarcastic feckers, the word Grand which is used to describe something impressively large, seemed juuust perfect for describing your slightly dry roast dinner or hungover Sunday.

    How else would have a word that would be used to desribe goings on in London, Paris or New York, end up some commonly used in plain ole Ireland unless we were being our Ironic selves.


  • #49
    traprunner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,887 ✭✭✭traprunner


    Asmooh wrote: »
    But after visiting Belfast a few times I notice they speak more proper over there, bit different compare to my friends in England but it sounds more proper.

    So it doesn't sound like this to you?


  • #50
    MRnotlob606
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,642 ✭✭✭MRnotlob606


    Asmooh wrote: »
    Oh and I was just wondering, my English is not perfect, but I guess your Dutch is not either.
    I always, (specially in real life) trying to say all the words that should be said correctly.

    So no slang, no missing letters.. while on internet I write "won't" instead of "will not" but "grand".. the first few months I was here I just ignored it and guessed.

    But after visiting Belfast a few times I notice they speak more proper over there, bit different compare to my friends in England but it sounds more proper.

    WOW we got a badass over here.


  • #51
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    The King of Moo wrote: »
    I had my doubts at first, but now I'm convinced you're trolling.

    Well,
    Asmooh wrote: »
    When I search on Google I get "slang", so I searched what the hell slang is.

    and
    Asmooh wrote: »
    gosh that slang language, really bad.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=95486398


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  • #52
    Paddy Samurai
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,015 ✭✭✭Paddy Samurai


    Depending on how its used , Grand is "proper english".

    Grand is also a synonym for Splendid,Glorious , Superb etc.


  • #53
    MRnotlob606
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,642 ✭✭✭MRnotlob606


    Look at you Dutch, Too busy smoking pot whilst simultaneously banging each other in canals to care about informal colloquial language.


  • #54
    Paddy Samurai
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,015 ✭✭✭Paddy Samurai


    MRnotlob606 wrote: »
    Look at you Dutch, Too busy smoking pot whilst simultaneously banging each other in canals to care about informal colloquial language.


    I think its all jealously TBH.


    All because we have the Grand canal.;)


  • #55
    Vinculus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 369 ✭✭Vinculus


    Yeah right!


  • #56
    kettlehead
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 414 ✭✭kettlehead


    Asmooh wrote: »
    I was at the store, not going on a tour

    You're obviously needed here as an Irish/Dutch speaker. Do you enjoy life here?


  • #57
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    I don't get what the issue is. An accepted use of (and dictionary definition for) grand is a noun meaning very pleasing, wonderful or splendid. So a reply of "Grand" is tantamount to splendid, wonderful, great...
    It's not slang and it's not local dialect. It's just English vocabulary.

    A grand day. A wonderful day. Same


  • #58
    harry Bailey esq
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,814 ✭✭✭harry Bailey esq


    Paddy Samurai wrote: »
    I think its all jealously TBH.


    All because we have the Grand canal.;)

    Royal canal beats the 'grand' canal for me. I spent many happy times down there smoking 'pot' and boozing and shaggin along its banks in my teens,just like our Dutch cousins.Your canal has streetwalkers and more drug dealers than you could shake a syringe at,I'll grant yiz that, but you have to pay.My canal you can do the same, but for free.That's the south side for you I suppose, nothin is for free there.


  • #59
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Asmooh wrote: »
    .

    But after visiting Belfast a few times I notice they speak more proper over there, bit different compare to my friends in England but it sounds more proper.

    So every shop assistant you asked if you "want a wee bag for this" or said "put your wee card in there" was speaking proper English?

    And beginning most sentences with "Ach" seemed more correct too?


    And they are far from averse to using "Grand" up there too.


  • #60
    Stojkovic
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 981 ✭✭✭Stojkovic


    Sometimes it just means fuggedaboutit.


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  • #61
    Stojkovic
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 981 ✭✭✭Stojkovic


    Sometimes it just means fuggedaboutit.


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