Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Ne'er the Twain...

Malady is the order of the day and so no one is going anywhere tonight.

And so I wish to direct you Westerners to Steliano's Day Dreams, where he has posted a delightful little article on the Greek Bouzouki.

Takis Kokotas, the guy who is playing the MP3s, performed with his band at the wedding of Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks. She is Greek, which explains why Hanks directed My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
(I found that movie funny and embarrassing. If you don't get Greek culture, it's not funny at all, but I bet it had the Italians howling with laughter.)

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The day before, Jia Li gave us some nutty names, so you can visit her at her Zwinkern if you haven't already.

She would like to state that she is a bit miffed that no one visits her site when it's serious, but she gets flooded when it's comical.

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Here is a nifty bit of Artificial Intelligence: 20q which might give you a few minutes of diversion. I beat it once this afternoon but watch out, it's pretty sharp!!!


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I stopped counting. Police on horseback have been passing up and down the Terrace all day. What's going on? Maybe they're stealing them in pairs from the barracks up the road.
Hallooo, Royal Horse Artillery, the Metropolitan Police are absconding with your horses!

See, not only Jia Li can be silly. You just have to meet me in person to get the best of it, right? [This addressed to those who know me best.] Ooh that rhymes.

No, I am not tipsy, I am not on pain medication, and I am not even that bubbly today! Champagne is bubbly. I could get bubbly on champagne.

Speaking of....In Cockney Rhyming Slang, I'm a Bubble.
Bubble = Greek (bubble and squeak)

If you don't get it, here's more, but be aware my repertoire is really out of date:
Germans = hands (German bands)
Plates = feet (plates of meat)
Boat = face (boat race)
Frog = road (frog and toad)
Jam = car (jam jar)
Trouble = wife (trouble and strife)

Ex. I was goin' down the frog in me jam and it was so cold I could 'ardly feel me Germans and me plates were numb. As for the trouble, you shoulda seen 'er boat when I let go the wheel!

Thanks Dad for teaching me that silliness.

My parents and I were required to speak properly when growing up, but when we were joking around at home it was like a stand-up routine. The slang and accents flew everywhere. And when it was over, we straightened our collars and returned to standard English.

7 comments:

michelle said...

I was thinking about Blogging about Cockney. I bet my ansectors spoke Cockney, they were fisherfolk from Dorset...

Olivia said...

Mich, Cockney comes only from the East End of London (but has since spread to Essex and you know the rest).

Your Dorset ancestors would have spoken with a West-country burr. A bit like the stereotypical pirate, but gentler.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I love these!!! Quite silly indeed.

jia Li, I am sorry i haven't visited you in a while. I'll try to do better.

Vanessa

Olivia said...

Vanesse - "quite silly indeed" ?
You're sounding a bit English ;)

Anonymous said...

oooooh, fancy that!
vanessa

Olivia said...

Hello Steli and fellow Bubble,

You're up late, no work tomorrow?

I hope AI doesn't get out of hand one day, as Arthur C Clarke, Ray Bradbury or Carl Sagan have predicted.

:D Glad you enjoyed the Cockney. Did it bring a smile to your north? (north and south = mouth)
Yes people use it still, but they have newer words. My father learned his after WWII.

Olivia said...

Hehe, yes it is quite.

I don't know how to say goodnight in Cockney...