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Thread: 'my gaff, my rules'?

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    Mehrgan's Avatar
    Mehrgan is offline Senior Member
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    Question 'my gaff, my rules'?

    Dear all,
    I hope somebody will kindly help me with this. I've already searched a lot, but couldn't find anything helpful. I was watching this episode from 'My Family', when Nick says something like, 'my gaff, my rules'. Does it mean the same as 'an Englishman's home is his castle'? If yes, which one is more commonly used in BrE? And, what could 'gaff' refer to in this idiom?



    So many thanks in advance!
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    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: 'my gaff, my rules'?

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    Tdol is online now Editor, UsingEnglish.com
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    Default Re: 'my gaff, my rules'?

    It is gaff- it's a slang term in BrE meaning house, so my gaff, my rules means that the speaker decides on what is OK or not in their home. It's not an idiom in the same way as an Englishman's home is his castle. I think it was London area slang originally, but you hear it used more widely nowadays.
    Last edited by Tdol; 06-Nov-2011 at 03:16.
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