Something prompted me to think this morning about Australian sayings which are no longer in common usage.
He’s got Buckley’s hope
Owes its origins to convict William Buckley who landed with David Collins’ expedition to found a settlement on Westernport Bay in Victoria. Buckley escaped, the settlement was abandoned and he spent the next 32 years living with Aborigines until the founding of Melbourne.
The saying means that someone has very little hope. Their position is precarious but not totally forlorn.
Not worth two bob
Two bob used to be two shillings. After the introduction of decimal currency in 1966 it was 20 cents. This amount was still of some value when I was a boy, but today it’s really just change for the parking metre in a country town, or to buy the kids a lolly.
The saying could be ironic, to question the value of an expensive purchase, or derogatory if used in relation to a person.
In more strife than the early settlers
The pioneers had to clear rugged bush remote from civilisation while confronting the elements and hostile natives.
The saying refers to a difficult situation. In football commentary it described a team facing an uphill battle or a player about to be set upon by tacklers.
I’m sure there are others; they just don’t spring to mind at the moment. Some that I thought of are probably cockney or universal, like “mutton dressed as lamb”.
Some of the old sayings were kept alive in VFL commentary by the likes of Lou Richards and Jack Dyer, but have generally faded from the language today.
Can you help us out. We are having a little domestic here.
The saying I say.. is “when shit turns to trumps” means that crap is the winner that everything falls apart …. on the other hand my partner is saying that when “shit turns to trumps” something is going well.
This is something that really needs to be sorted!
Twitter: mgorey
says:
Sorry Gina, I’m with your partner.
I vaguely recall the saying, or something similar (I don’t think “shit” is mentioned) and I think it means that something bad turns out good.
Am I the only person who uses “…Built like a yard of pump water…” ?
I think it means “very thin”, but any time I use the phrase, people look at me as is I have two heads.
Another one to bite the dust.
Fit as a mallee bull…or whenever my great aunt got a fright … landsakes!( man, she was so old tho), and she was a Methodist, not a bush Baptist.