Noisy Arabs

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on July 05, 2009 at 15:21

In Reply to: Noisy Arabs posted by Tony on July 05, 2009 at 13:35:

: Something from the depths of memory - "Noisy Arabs" or "Shut-up you noisy Arabs". Phrases that I know and use but don't know from where they come.

I've never heard that one. But in the second half of the 19th century "city Arab" or "street Arab" was British slang for a homeless guttersnipe child, presumably because they were "nomads" of no fixed abode, like Bedouin. Perhaps your phrase derives from this? "Shut up you noisy guttersnipes" sounds pretty plausible to me.(VSD)

• Noisy Arabs Smokey Stover 06/July/09
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