Hey ho- meaning.

[david11]

What does hey ho mean?

Context: In private messaging, one of the top contribute of this site used this phrase after making an humble mock for which I expressed my discomfort.

I searched the meaning in the internet but I could not find it.


Thank you.

 

[BobK]

With no context, I would guess it meant something like 'Oh well, there's nothing more to say then, let's get on with it.'

b

 

[5jj]

With no context, I would guess it meant something like 'Oh well, there's nothing more to say then, let's get on with it.'

That is very probably what I meant. As I cannot remember the details of the exchange of PMs, I can't be sure. I sometimes use it to mean, "That's life - we just have to accept it."

If you have problems in understanding, David, try to ask soon after the question arises. If it involves a PM, it is usually better to ask the person concerned by PM.

 

[BobK]

That is very probably what I meant. As I cannot remember the details of the exchange of PMs, I can't be sure. I sometimes use it to mean, "That's life - we just have to accept it."

...

Or 'What can you do?' or 'Some mothers do have them' or 'Can't get the staff' or 'I blame the parents' or... It's a very useful expression.

b

 

[david11]

If you have problems in understanding, David, try to ask soon after the question arises. If it involves a PM, it is usually better to ask the person concerned by PM.

I send you another private message requesting the meaning but I didn't get the reply sir.

It is my fault for not asking you again and posting a question regarding that after after some days. I apologize for that.

 

[BobSmith]

Britsh idiomatic expressions?

Or 'What can you do?' or 'Some mothers do have them' or 'Can't get the staff' or 'I blame the parents' or... It's a very useful expression.

b

Are these in red Britishisms? I don't understand them! :shock:

'Some mothers do have them' - regarding misbehaving children?
'Can't get the staff' - we're undermanned, and doing the best we can?

 

[5jj]

Re: Britsh idiomatic expressions?

I have moved this post to a new thread, as it starts a new topic

 

[BobSmith]

Re: Britsh idiomatic expressions?

I'm still interested in how these can be derived from "hey ho", so I'm not sure it starts a new topic.

 

[5jj]

Re: Britsh idiomatic expressions?

You have a point. I've moved it back.

 

[Barb_D]

I'm curious too, especially the one with "staff."

 

[5jj]

"Some mothers do have 'em" is humorous (?) expression referring to somebody who has just said or not something silly. The idea is that we must feel sorry for the mother of that person for the disappoinment she must feel at having produced such an idiot.

It is not relevant to the 'hey ho' we have been discussing in this thread.

 

[BobK]

:up:

And 'Can't get the staff' can mean what Bob suggested ('short-staffed and trying our best') but more often means 'It's impossible for us to hire the staff we need, which explains why we have to make do with people who are incompetent'.

I didn't realize this was particularly British, but now I think of it it must be - though I imagine some American speakers may have met it. I imagine John Cleese says it in Fawlty Towers.

b

 

[BobSmith]

And 'Can't get the staff' can mean what Bob suggested ('short-staffed and trying our best') but more often means 'It's impossible for us to hire the staff we need, which explains why we have to make do with people who are incompetent'.

Ok, I totally get it now and I am laughing at its possible use. :lol: Can "hey ho" be used in this case?

I didn't realize this was particularly British, but now I think of it it must be - though I imagine some American speakers may have met it.

"have met" sounds very BrE to me ;-)

.

 

[BobK]

Can "hey ho" be used in this case?...

It doesn't have this necessary meaning, but it sometimes implies something of the sort.

b

 

[Barb_D]

And before this thread, I would have through that "hey ho" would be a greeting, like "hi there!"

 

[5jj]

And before this thread, I would have through that "hey ho" would be a greeting, like "hi there!"

Hey ho.

 

[Barb_D]

I'm wondering if "But there you go" is sort of an American equivalent. What can you do? It's just what the situation is. There you go.

I do like the "Some mothers have them" comment

 

[BobSmith]

And I would have thought this: hiyo. (In fact, I've always thought he was saying "hey ho" or "heyo")

 

[BobK]

And before this thread, I would have through that "hey ho" would be a greeting, like "hi there!"

And then there's Shakespeare's Feste who sings 'Hey ho, the wind and the rain' - in which it seems to be just a metrical makeweight.

b

 

[emsr2d2]

I wouldn't relate "You can't get the staff" to "Hey-ho" at all. However, "You can't get the staff" is used a lot in BrE.