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Suffolk phrases?

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on April 27, 2010 at 21:41

In Reply to: Suffolk phrases? posted by Gary Martin on April 27, 2010 at 06:21:

: : My Father who came from Suffolk had many phrases he used. One was to forsee bad weather was "It looks a bit crampy over Wills mothers". Another was when as kids we asked him to do something when he didnt want to was "you go and Nannywiggle". A third he used if he didn't want to do something was "I can't do that I have got a bone in my leg". I have never heard of anyone else using these phrases. Are they local to Suffolk or did he make them up?

: 'Black over Bill's mother's' is the usual form. That is generally considered to be a Black Country saying, although who Bill was isn't clear. The 'bone in my leg' saying is, or was, fairly widespread in the UK. I knew it in childhood in the West Midlands but have heard elsewhere since. Nannywiggle is new to me.
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"I have got a bone in my leg" is listed in Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, with no indication that it was in any way regional. Brewer defined it as "An excuse given to children for not moving from one's seat". (When you were a child, didn't you just hate the stupid things adults think it's funny to say to children?) (VSD)

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