OFF: Brit Slang!

[Nick Medford]

In message <3D4FF574.26663.1E70D0B at localhost>, Ted Jackson
<tojackso at LIBRARY.SYR.EDU> writes
>I did some research.  A member of the Brit. royalty, Lord Salisbury,
>gave his nephew, Balfour the title of Chief Secretary for Ireland, a
>well-paying job that some felt he was unqualified for.  The nephew
>used to call him 'Uncle Bob.'  So, it means, basically, 'you did well
>with  that,' or 'lucky devil...'

That's its origin, but it's used more generally to mean that something has
been, or will be, accomplished. As in  "You wanna make that blanga
sound? Three chords, pounding rhythm, bit of swoosh, and Bob's your
uncle".

For those who enjoy a more arch turn of phrase, it can be refined e.g "I
took the young filly out for a meal, invited her back for coffee, and
Robert was your proverbial mother's brother". (to be said languidly,
perhaps while sharing some absinthe with one's decadent gentleman
friends).

You dig?

(where does "dig" come from?)
--
Nick Medford