tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955239.post8130207036497390244..comments2024-03-28T12:00:29.857+00:00Comments on Historical and Regency Romance UK: Scuttlebutt, anyone?Louise Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09895724319451189592noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955239.post-74132658657014917042008-12-15T14:27:00.000+00:002008-12-15T14:27:00.000+00:00You know, you really ought to do something about t...You know, you really ought to do something about that imagination of yours, Louise...Jan Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00471022034388834235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955239.post-19187503512162000592008-12-15T14:15:00.000+00:002008-12-15T14:15:00.000+00:00Hmm... now I've got visions of slacking sailors sh...Hmm... now I've got visions of slacking sailors shaving thier legs!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955239.post-73656373632356374942008-12-11T11:50:00.000+00:002008-12-11T11:50:00.000+00:00Hi JoannaFunnily enough, there's been discussi...Hi Joanna<BR/><BR/>Funnily enough, there's been discussion about the origins of "not enough room to swing a cat" on the Notes&Queries page of the Guardian newspaper, most recently on 10th December (yesterday). I imagine it will be on their website www.guardian.co.uk <BR/><BR/>One respondent says: "there is no validated example of [the phrase] being used to mean the use of a whip for floggings. Neither is there any reason why it should have been, given that these floggings were always carried out on deck..."<BR/><BR/>Another says the phrase referred to "cats, or catboats ... small sailing colliers that took coals from Newcastle to London. When many were moored in harbour the situation could arise where there was no more room for a cat to swing on its mooring."<BR/><BR/>So, you pays your money and takes your choice, it seems...<BR/><BR/>But it's all still endlessly fascinating.<BR/><BR/>BTW, in another response on the same day, someone is disputing the generally accepted naval derivation of "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey".<BR/><BR/>JoannaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955239.post-59612682221136057952008-12-10T14:10:00.000+00:002008-12-10T14:10:00.000+00:00My favorite expression is "not enough room to swin...My favorite expression is "not enough room to swing a cat." Everyone pictures someone twirling a cat around over their head by the tail but it really refers to the cat-o-nine-tails the bosun used to whip miscreants.Joanna Waughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08053211782268427159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955239.post-14744929170233444182008-12-10T13:54:00.000+00:002008-12-10T13:54:00.000+00:00Yes, I think they're wonderful, too. And I can te...Yes, I think they're wonderful, too. And I can tell you that, back in the days of national service in the mid-20th century, sailors still slept in hammocks (very comfortable, I'm told) and were still in danger of having the strings cut if they were too slow getting up. <BR/><BR/>However, I think that, by then, all the legs shown were probably of the hairy variety!<BR/><BR/>JoannaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955239.post-20781409637676687512008-12-10T10:27:00.000+00:002008-12-10T10:27:00.000+00:00I didn't know most of those-fascinating stuff Joan...I didn't know most of those-fascinating stuff Joanna!<BR/>I especially loved 'show a leg'!Jane Odiwehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10712868693656060688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955239.post-88171654917442514932008-12-10T07:21:00.000+00:002008-12-10T07:21:00.000+00:00Wow, Joanna, I would never have believed scuttlebu...Wow, Joanna, I would never have believed <I>scuttlebutt</I> was that old!<BR/><BR/><I>Press into service</I> and <I>show a leg</I>, I knew, but I love the origin of <I>I'll eat my hat</I>.<BR/><BR/>Looking forward to more gems!Jan Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00471022034388834235noreply@blogger.com