A typical Englishman

[Amigos4]

There's no significace or meaning to "Buggles" - it's just my nom-de-plume.
Thanks for the contribution and whether you or Appex 2000 thought I'd hit on a good idea, I can't really claim the credit - I "stole" the idea from Amigos4.

Glad to be of service, my friend!

Amigo

 

[Ouisch]

Hear hear! ;-) You've had a rotten experience, Ouisch. Did this event perhaps take place in London? I was born there, and loved it once, but since I moved away - nearly half a lifetime ago - Londoners (by no means all, but quite a few) have struck me as unusually brusque.

b

Yes, it was London, near Southgate. I must say, though, that overall most of the British people I've met in my travels there were polite, patient and helpful, especially in the North (Liverpool, Manchester, Southport). I must also particularly mention the folks in Inverness, Scotland - some of the friendliest people I've ever met!

I've also met some very nice and friendly Londoners, too. I remember on one occasion I was traveling alone and had a rental car (I hadn't meant to drive all the way into the city; I'd planned to find a hotel in Hatton Cross or somewhere on the outskirts and then just park the car and take the Tube into town. But I got caught up in traffic on the motorway and before I knew it I was passing the Houses of Parliament and Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.) Anyway, I literally drove in various circles for over two hours, trying to negotiate traffic while driving on the "wrong" side of the road *and* find someplace to park so I could ask for directions. I finally ended up back on a motorway and pulled off at the first "Services" area. Inside the gas station I must've looked borderline hysterical, because one clerk kept offering me a cup of tea, insisting it was "on the house." Another customer, an older man, was trying to give me directions to a Traveler's Lodge: "Just go right straight through the next roundabout..." (Do I go right? Or straight?) "....nip up the Wickershams, rally 'round the gorm and scumble and Bob's your uncle, you're there!" (Who's Bob?)

Anyway, sorry for the novel but I did want to report that I don't lump all Left Ponders in with that rude fellow I encountered. :-D

 

[buggles]

Yes, it was London, near Southgate. I must say, though, that overall most of the British people I've met in my travels there were polite, patient and helpful, especially in the North (Liverpool, Manchester, Southport). I must also particularly mention the folks in Inverness, Scotland - some of the friendliest people I've ever met!

I've also met some very nice and friendly Londoners, too. I remember on one occasion I was traveling alone and had a rental car (I hadn't meant to drive all the way into the city; I'd planned to find a hotel in Hatton Cross or somewhere on the outskirts and then just park the car and take the Tube into town. But I got caught up in traffic on the motorway and before I knew it I was passing the Houses of Parliament and Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.) Anyway, I literally drove in various circles for over two hours, trying to negotiate traffic while driving on the "wrong" side of the road *and* find someplace to park so I could ask for directions. I finally ended up back on a motorway and pulled off at the first "Services" area. Inside the gas station I must've looked borderline hysterical, because one clerk kept offering me a cup of tea, insisting it was "on the house." Another customer, an older man, was trying to give me directions to a Traveler's Lodge: "Just go right straight through the next roundabout..." (Do I go right? Or straight?) "....nip up the Wickershams, rally 'round the gorm and scumble and Bob's your uncle, you're there!" (Who's Bob?)

Anyway, sorry for the novel but I did want to report that I don't lump all Left Ponders in with that rude fellow I encountered. :-D

That's really good to hear -many of we native-born British people sometimes despair over the way certain among us treat other people. Although most of us are genuinely friendly, there seem to be more and more uncouth people around as time goes by. Nice to hear that some of us made up for the unpleasant ones you came across.
Thanks for the "novel" - it was a tale worth telling.
Buggles

 

[heidita]

I also thought it interesting. And I would also like to know: Who is Bob??????

 

[buggles]

I also thought it interesting. And I would also like to know: Who is Bob??????

As I recall, the full phrase is "Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your aunt".
I believe it originates from 1887 when the Prime Minister of England Robert Gascoyne-Cecil also known as Lord Salisbury appointed his nephew Arthur Balfour as minister for Ireland. Apparently, Balfour then referred to the PM as "Uncle Bob". The press latched on to this as an example of nepotism and implied that if "Bob" was your uncle then you could be sure of getting on in life. This entered into popular usage as a way of saying just how easy something was.
e.g. " You just turn the screw and Bob's your uncle."
Don't know where "Fanny" comes from, though. ( Unless she was the PM's wife.)
Maybe someone out there knows.

 

[heidita]

" You just turn the screw and Bob's your uncle."

How very funny!!!!!!!:lol!::lol!::lol!: I mean, you simply HAVE to be English to know that!!!!:shock:

 

[Amigos4]

How very funny!!!!!!!:lol!::lol!::lol!: I mean, you simply HAVE to be English to know that!!!!:shock:

Hellllllllllo, Heidita! How are you today?

 

[stuartnz]

How very funny!!!!!!!:lol!::lol!::lol!: I mean, you simply HAVE to be English to know that!!!!:shock:

Not quite. The phrase would be very readily understood by most NZers and Australians too, if they are native English speakers.

 

[heidita]

Not quite. The phrase would be very readily understood by most NZers and Australians too, if they are native English speakers.

Jesus, stuart! You must be really into British news and history then . Do you speak for the general population? :shock:

I believe it originates from 1887 when the Prime Minister of England Robert Gascoyne-Cecil also known as Lord Salisbury appointed his nephew Arthur Balfour as minister for Ireland.

 

[banderas]

Jesus, stuart! You must be really into British news and history then . Do you speak for the general population? :shock:

"Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your aunt"
I asked about it my flatmate and my workmate (both English native speakers) who are New Zealand citizens and they had no idea what I was talking about:shock:.
I have Master degree in International Relationships and history is my hobby horse but I never heard of "Bob's your uncle...." It's good to learn something new every day:-D.Thank you!

 

[heidita]

Hellllllllllo, Heidita! How are you today?

I'm really fine! The sun is shining, I am going to have lunch.....LIFE IS GREAT!:up::-D

"Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your aunt"
I asked about it my flatmate and my workmate (both English native speakers) who are New Zealand citizens and they had no idea what I was talking about:shock:.
I have Master degree in International Relationships and history is my hobby horse but I never heard of "Bob's your uncle...." It's good to learn something new every day:-D.Thank you!

I did think that that was something really unusual to know, banderas. (you wouldn't be by any chance the Banderas :lol:).

Thanks for the input, my friend.

 

[buggles]

Glad to be of assistance - and now - does anyone know where "....... and Fanny's my aunt" came from?

 

[stuartnz]

Jesus, stuart! You must be really into British news and history then . Do you speak for the general population? :shock:

I did say "most", and stand by that, specifically with reference to the "Bob's your uncle" bit of the phrase. I have heard "and Fanny's your aunt", but that's much rarer here. A search on Google restricte to include ONLY pages from NZ turns up 456 hits for "Bob's your uncle", one of which on the first page of results even includes "fanny's your aunt". So I don't think asking two people who turned out not to have heard of the phrase ought to be considered a definitive refutation of my earlier statement, dangerous generalisation though it was.

 

[Amigos4]

I have never heard those expressions used in the US. However, tonight my wife and I watched "Atonement' and both expressions were used in the dialogue of the film! If I hadn't heard the expressions used in the forum I would have been at a loss for the meaning when they were spoken in the film!

 

[beascarpetta]

I have never heard those expressions used in the US. However, tonight my wife and I watched "Atonement' and both expressions were used in the dialogue of the film! If I hadn't heard the expressions used in the forum I would have been at a loss for the meaning when they were spoken in the film!

did you like the film? Would you recommend watching it?

 

[Amigos4]

did you like the film? Would you recommend watching it?

My wife and I both disliked the film! I would not recommend it to my friends. The plot jumps around from one time period to another and the film just kind of rambles on aimlessly! Sorry, Bea...it just wasn't for me!

 

[beascarpetta]

Thanks for telling me (did those cumbersome lovers get to be reunited in the end or did you leave before)
I was of two minds to go and fortunately went to see "Gone ,Baby Gone"
I apologize for interrupting this thread but where does one post questions like that?

 

[Amigos4]

Thanks for telling me (did those cumbersome lovers get to be reunited in the end or did you leave before)
I was of two minds to go and fortunately went to see "Gone ,Baby Gone"
I apologize for interrupting this thread but where does one post questions like that? You'll get your chance next week!!!! ;-)

I watched the whole damn movie!!! The two lovebirds never really solidified their relationship...it was a very confusing plot! :-(

 

[beascarpetta]

My husband cried off the moment I even suggested Atonement might be a nice way of spending one evening sans offspring :-D

 

[Amigos4]

My husband cried off the moment I even suggested Atonement might be a nice way of spending one evening sans offspring :-D

The good doctor made a wise diagnosis! :lol: