Pinch Punch.
I only heard it once today. The first day of February, well the month doesn't matter, just that it is the first day.
"Pinch punch the first of the month". This saying is then followed by a pinch and a punch on the arm of the person it is being said to.
A response could be, "A kick and a flick for being so quick".
However if the first person completed their statement with "no returns" then the kick and flick are voided.
This is one of those idioms that has become engrained in the childhood culture of England. Go anywhere to any primary school in this green a pleasant land and you will hear this echoing across the playground. There are regional variations or others caused by the natural selection of the way stories and rhymes are passed down through the generations.
This is fascinating stuff, the study of playground rhymes and how they have evolved.
My son when faced with a choice uses the rhyme, "eni meeny miny mo". In his version he catches a 'fly' by its toe. This rhyme has quite rightly evolved over the last twenty years but is still firmly present in the population.
One saying my children use is "jinx padlock 123" when they both say the same thing at the same time. Then the person is unable to speak until their name is spoken three times.
Another phrase passed down through the generations has been heard in my house today, "What do you mean it's time for bed, it's the weekend?"
The power of word of mouth is quite remarkable and should not be underestimated.
"Pinch punch the first of the month". This saying is then followed by a pinch and a punch on the arm of the person it is being said to.
A response could be, "A kick and a flick for being so quick".
However if the first person completed their statement with "no returns" then the kick and flick are voided.
This is one of those idioms that has become engrained in the childhood culture of England. Go anywhere to any primary school in this green a pleasant land and you will hear this echoing across the playground. There are regional variations or others caused by the natural selection of the way stories and rhymes are passed down through the generations.
This is fascinating stuff, the study of playground rhymes and how they have evolved.
My son when faced with a choice uses the rhyme, "eni meeny miny mo". In his version he catches a 'fly' by its toe. This rhyme has quite rightly evolved over the last twenty years but is still firmly present in the population.
One saying my children use is "jinx padlock 123" when they both say the same thing at the same time. Then the person is unable to speak until their name is spoken three times.
Another phrase passed down through the generations has been heard in my house today, "What do you mean it's time for bed, it's the weekend?"
The power of word of mouth is quite remarkable and should not be underestimated.
Comments
Post a Comment