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Unfamiliar Expressions

Unfamiliar Expressions

Old Oct 18th 2014, 3:04 am
  #31  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

Originally Posted by teejaydee
The one I find amusing is the use of the word "Manchester" to refer to bedding and linens.

I understand how the term came about, but it still makes me smile when I see or hear it being used.

how did it come about?
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Old Oct 18th 2014, 3:52 am
  #32  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

Originally Posted by MrsFychan
how did it come about?
It comes from the times when cotton products had to be imported to New Zealand and the thriving cotton industry of Manchester was the only place to get good cotton. The term was originally 'Manchester Linen', but this was soon shortened to just "Manchester".
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Old Oct 18th 2014, 7:48 am
  #33  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

What about 'tinny' for lucky or 'tinny house' a house that sells drugs.
Even though I've been here 27 years I like to use kiwi sayings and understand most of them, but some English ones I use at work don't get understood (my workmates are in their early 20s). eg 'talk about the pot calling the kettle black' I think though that's just my age showing, maybe that is also used in NZ.
When I first came here I was the only female in the company and they said things like: 'good as gold' and 'she'll be right' and 'get off the grass mate' which I absolutely love.
And as mentioned above the shortening of everything, like 'sunnies' for sunglasses, 'veges', 'hoodies', 'togs' for swimwear, whereas in UK it generally means clothes.
What about people who say 'woman' when they mean 'women' gets my goat that one and is just laziness. Language of course is forever evolving and expressions come and go.
My teens use 'like' quite a lot and I used to say 'good aye' because I had a good friend who spoke like that (Lyn of Tawa - you might need to look her up if you don't know who she is).
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Old Oct 18th 2014, 8:49 am
  #34  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

Joker really makes me shiver, I just find it a bit insulting really but it seems to be a friendly term in NZ.
I don't really to this day know what a 'Hard case' is. Is a fun person or someone who's eccentric?
'Smoko' for breaks mystified me too at first, I thought everyone must be going outside for a fag!
But then it's used in some workplaces and not in others. I prefer 'Morning tea' .. now that sounds much nicer
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Old Oct 18th 2014, 9:16 am
  #35  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

Hard case seems to mean, 'what d'ya make of that, eh ?'

As in mate of mine worked in a mine in Australia then spent all his money on a boat to travel back to NZ but it sank.

It seems to be said in some sort of admiration.
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Old Oct 18th 2014, 9:16 am
  #36  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

I am apparently a 'hard case'.

I have come to think that men have 'smoko' and ladies (posh iccint) have morning tea.
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Old Oct 18th 2014, 9:20 am
  #37  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

Originally Posted by RobClubley
"Rattle your dags"
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Old Oct 18th 2014, 7:23 pm
  #38  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

The other day I heard this conversation:

How are you?
Box of fluffies mate!

?!
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Old Oct 18th 2014, 8:11 pm
  #39  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

Originally Posted by RobClubley
The other day I heard this conversation:

How are you?
Box of fluffies mate!

?!
Hear this all the time at work!
Short version of box of fluffy ducks.....................means feeling good!
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Old Oct 18th 2014, 9:36 pm
  #40  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

'Done my dash' - that's it I'm outta here I've done enough / or can't do anymore
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Old Oct 18th 2014, 11:17 pm
  #41  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

Are you sure we didn't use any of these in UK? I really can't remember now, it's so annoying.

What about British sayings that kiwis may not understand or colloquisms. My nephew a few years ago (in UK) was talking about 'pikies' for gypsies and I'd completely forgotten about that one, mostly unheard of here.
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Old Oct 19th 2014, 1:14 am
  #42  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

Kiwis nicked half their phases and sayings of Brits and Aussies - I don't think many of them are home growen.

I don't know if it is connected to pikies but Kiwis call people a piker - i.e. to be a wimp, a shirker or lazy person. It's also used as a verb 'to pike out' - back out of a promise or slack off from doing something.

Another Aussie import I reckon is: 'as mad as a snake'
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Old Oct 19th 2014, 6:19 pm
  #43  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles
Kiwis nicked half their phases and sayings of Brits and Aussies - I don't think many of them are home growen.
Hardly surprising considering most Kiwis originated in the UK or Aus and we share the same language

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles
I don't know if it is connected to pikies but Kiwis call people a piker - i.e. to be a wimp, a shirker or lazy person. It's also used as a verb 'to pike out' - back out of a promise or slack off from doing something.
Used piking and piker or to pike in Plymouth....
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Old Oct 21st 2014, 3:07 am
  #44  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

Originally Posted by RobClubley
I also hear many phrases from the Bullsh*t Bingo card at work

"Getting our ducks in a row", for example.

"Covering things off" in a meeting always sounds funny.

And "Dealing to" a problem does my head in
I am quite concerned that I'd hear these in UK corporates and considered them NORMAL before I came out six years ago
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Old Oct 21st 2014, 8:56 am
  #45  
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Default Re: Unfamiliar Expressions

saying "aye" "a" at the end of most sentences.
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