There is this unspoken assumption
- Daisy
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
That reminds me - has anyone seen Sooty and Sweep on TV recently? Are the puppets still in the shops I wonder?
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.
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- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
Yes, it's true that a lot of nicknames are actually given with affection, to people you're fond of and in whose company you feel comfortable and relaxed. A few years ago my husband, whose name is Mohamed, used to sit next to another Mohamed at his workplace. When someone called for "Mohamed" they'd both answer. I'm not sure how it came about, but it ended up with my husband being called "White Mohamed" (he's not white, but has pale brown skin) and his colleague being called "Black Mohamed" (he wasn't black, but had darker brown skin.) Neither my husband nor his friend found it offensive as they knew people were only given nicknames if they were well-liked.Julie2owlsdene wrote:When is this PC brigade going to realize that many nicknames are said out of fondness and nothing malicious.
If I remember correctly, Sooty is called "Pete" in the 1990s TV version of Five Go to Smuggler's Top (yet his real name is Pierre, so "Pete" is actually a denial of his French heritage!)Julie2owlsdene wrote:Let's hope Sooty Lenoir is allowed to keep his name.
Anita
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- Ming
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
Exactly. Freckles for Jack, and Tufty for Philip seemed very friendly to me for some reason.Anita Bensoussane wrote: it's true that a lot of nicknames are actually given with affection, to people you're fond of and in whose company you feel comfortable and relaxed.
There's another Tasnuva in my class and it ended up in her being called "[Fat] Tasnuva" and me "[Thin] Tasnuva". Once a teacher actually said, "Who's Fat Tasnuva?" out loud in front of everyone. The fat and thin thing ended when I got dubbed "Mingu" by my close friends.
We actually call one of our slim friends "Mutki" - translates into Fatty!
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
What a lovely name; Mutki Trotteville! My school nickname, as most of you possibly know, was a Blyton character - Big Ears. Not so friendly though. Happily I've grown into them now!Ming wrote:
We actually call one of our slim friends "Mutki" - translates into Fatty!
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
Is Charles the latest one to gaffe then? I thought it was all about Harry referring to a comrade as a 'Paki' (which was silly of him, though I would like to think it was not meant maliciously) at the moment..
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- Lenoir
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
No, Tony is!Yak wrote:Is Charles the latest one to gaffe then?
Tony Summerfield wrote:Spot on, 'Sooty'! 'Bookful' is indeed the one that doesn't count.Lenoir wrote: I think one of them ("Bookful of Jennings"?) is a compilation, not a “standard” book, so perhaps it doesn't count.
Re: There is this unspoken assumption
Speaking as a post-decimal child, I thought the two shillings a week spending money for Whyteleaf pupils sounded positively exotic. But the updated 20p (which I suppose was actually an increase when new money came in) sounded incredibly stingy. When I was a child, 20p would have got you a bag of crisps or perhaps one and a quarter Mars Bars.Tony Summerfield wrote:I find the currency situation laughable and I have often mentioned it in interviews, but it is not a quote that ever gets used. In Adventures of the Wishing Chair, Peter and Molly go into an antique shop with 3 shillings to buy a birthday present for their mother. In 1937 this might have been a reasonable amount, but editors realised that it needed to be updated for the current editions and also inflation should be taken into account, so they raised it to (drum roll) - 35p! Mother will not get a very substantial present!Petermax wrote:Also, can anyone explain the needless change from pounds, shillings and pence to decimal in post 1971 editions of the books?
Heck, if I had gone to Whyteleaf, I'd have probably behaved all brattish in order to get sent home as well!
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
I can remember when crisps were eight pence a bag but twenty pee was still very little. I think it is mentioned that chocolate creams are something like three for ten pee in the books .. so basically, they get enough pocket money a week to buy six peppermint creams!
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- Rob Houghton
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
When i was at school, bags of 'crunchy puffs' were 5p a bag and Jammie Dodgers and Marsh-mallows were 2p each. I remember being able to buy 2 'Blackjacks' for a penny (1/2p each) but that 20p a week still seemed very little by the time I read the books (about 1980). In 1971 20p might not have been too bad though.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
Re: There is this unspoken assumption
Lucky you! In my school the prices are hideous!We have to pay 99p for a bottle of water, 40p for a pizza bap, 30p for a crumpet, (that's at break by the way), and a normal lunch in the cafeteria comes to about £3.00. Not to bad, but in the credit crunch, they ought to be more reasonable!
- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
Yes, school lunches can be pricey. Luckily, my two take a packed lunch to school!
What I find expensive is the cost of school day-trips. My daughter came home with a letter the other day asking for £23 to go and watch a play at the theatre. We're still thinking about it!
Anita
What I find expensive is the cost of school day-trips. My daughter came home with a letter the other day asking for £23 to go and watch a play at the theatre. We're still thinking about it!
Anita
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member
Re: There is this unspoken assumption
I just cannot believe the prices that children are paying for school dinners, it's nothing but extortion. During my school years I never once had a school dinner, it was always packed lunches or preferably dinner at home, as I lived a only a short walk away. I could not stand the noise of the school dining hall or the appalling table manners of my classmates!
- Rob Houghton
- Posts: 16029
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- Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
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- Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham
Re: There is this unspoken assumption
I used to 'go home for dinners' at primary school, as did quite a few others. Nowadays its used as a threat from the teachers, who say, 'If you don't behave at lunch time you'll have to go home for dinners!'
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
My brothers school jacked up the prices at their canteen this year. The boys were furious and decided to hold a protest and boycott the canteen for a few days. It didn't end very well at all - the canteen refused to take down their prices and the boys who led the protest were suspended.
- That would be heaven for my brother who hates school!!Robert Houghton wrote: used to 'go home for dinners' at primary school, as did quite a few others. Nowadays its used as a threat from the teachers, who say, 'If you don't behave at lunch time you'll have to go home for dinners!
"I should think that if it came to pushing, Eunice might send old Fatty flying" - Larry The Mystery of the Missing Man
- Rob Houghton
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Re: There is this unspoken assumption
That reminded me of when we were in secondary school at the time (in the mid 1980's) when a lot of teachers were taking part in regular strikes. We decided that as pupils this was ruining our education (well, that was our excuse!!) and we came out on strike in protest, refusing to go into lessons and standing out in the playground with placards!Jen-Jen wrote:My brothers school jacked up the prices at their canteen this year. The boys were furious and decided to hold a protest and boycott the canteen for a few days. It didn't end very well at all - the canteen refused to take down their prices and the boys who led the protest were suspended.
Our 'strike' lasted a couple of days, and we even got on the local news,so many pupils took part (at one time about half the school!). then the weather grew colder and gradually there were fewer and fewer 'pickets' in the playground every day, until the last few stragglers decided to come in for a warm!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member