OFF: Hey brits: Bob's Yer Uncle....

[Peter Sondergeld]

For the seriously interested, here's a bit more trivia on your uncle Bob. I
have a book here that has traced the expression back to around 1890, and the
author suggests that it may have been (but not definitely) derived from
another (late 17th to early 19th century) phrase "all is bob", meaning "all
is safe".
Strewth! Crikey! Bewdy bonza mate!
        See also: <http://www.is-1.net.au/~gaz/speak.html> for more 'strine
Pete. (Fair Dinkum 'Strine Librarian)


At 12:02 AM 7/08/97 +1000, Sonique wrote:
>On  5 Aug 97 at 15:57, Mark Edmonds wrote:
>
>> <sonique at MAIL.PCMICRO.COM.AU> writes
>> >Brits are colourful? What about us true blues?
>> >
>> >"Stone the Crows and Pickle me Grandmother - I found a freebie in my
>> >glug! And don't forget never to bod chonks from a fruit ...."
>> >
>> >(Just my 2c worth o 'strine)
>> >
>> >Sonique
>>
>> Brilliant! LOL! What do you do for an encore?!
>
>I think I've just about used up all the more colourful phrases I could think
>of (besides all the ones which are also common in Britain)
>
>> "Bob's Your Uncle" is an expression which sort of means nothing really
>> and is a typical throw-away remark.
>
>Same down under. It's most common use here is precede with "and" used in a
>context of describing how to do something "and then it will work/your
>finished/whatever". I know what I mean if no-one else does ....
>
>
>> The idea behind it is that Bob is an extremely common name so anyone can
>> have an uncle called Bob (so happens I haven't) therefore the value of
>> telling someone that they have an uncle called Bob is zero.
>>
>> So, Bob's your uncle, there you have it!
>
>"there you have it" is what I was looking for ...
>
>> Now someone tell me what the fuck "Stone the Crows" is all about please!
>
>It means anything you want it too .... ;^)
>
>S.
>
>--
>Paul Ward        aka: Assassin Sonique'   .---.  __  .--------   Long
>R & D Manager, P & C Micro's Pty Ltd     /     \( o`-,  -----   may
>http://www.pcmicro.com.au/~Sonique      ////    '~ (    ---   they
>sonique at mail.pcmicro.com.au            /////// :    ; ---   Fly!
>
>


**************************
Peter Sondergeld
p.sondergeld at qut.edu.au

"I'm no stranger to hard work - more of a nodding acquaintance"   - D.G. Harris