The CBB :: View topic - Favourite words and phrases

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#1: Favourite words and phrases Author: Lisa A., Location: North Yorkshire

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 6:45 pm
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Following the discussion about all the annoying words and phrases in the CS world, I wondered if anyone thinks any EBD linguistic foibles are totally charming?

I like it when EBD describes people's attempts at speaking languages as using what French words they know, supplemented by English words spoken "as Frenchily as possible." Conjures up a lovely image.

#2: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 11:27 am
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Quote:

Cease thy noise, foolish one! The snake is dead, it has not bitten thee. Wherefore all this brouhaha?

Having just seen this on another page I thought I would add it here, it had me in hysterics Laughing

. The other one was the discription of Chas being able to quell Margot with a look. Why waste words when all you have to do is give her: "the look".

#3: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:29 pm
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That must have been some look - can't see it myself - Charles is, what, four or five years younger than Margot? She'd have laughed at him!

#4: Author: Kate, Location: Ireland

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:38 pm
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I always thought it was a sort of shocked/wondering/curious look - as if he couldn't believe she would behave like that. I could imagine that would be more effective on Margot than a glare.

#5: Author: Clare, Location: Liverpool

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 3:38 pm
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My favourite phrase is in Reunion when Anna thinks "there's something about the Chalet School that affects all associated with it with mild insanity."

It was my signature line on the old board - so appropriate for the CBB Wink

#6: Author: Róisín, Location: Ireland

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:43 pm
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There are so many phrases I love, I used to have them as signatures on the old board but I didn't make a record of them and have lost most of them now Sad

The ones I like because they are funny include Biddy in New Mistress telling Kathie to take her top off in the railway station and just get right down to it when washing Laughing

Of course the falling asleep with God thing has to be in the most poignant favourites.

#7: Author: RoseCloke, Location: Camping in my housemate's room. Don't ask.

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:27 pm
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I liked the part in Princess where Jo 'summoned her prettiest French to her aid'. It was so delicate, and made me want to learn more French so I too could receive an award for rescuing a Princess (I was pretty young at the time Embarassed

)

My favourite line in the entire series however, isn't pretty at all, but it does crack me up every time I read it. Whenever Evvy or Corny say (and it's going to be unbelievably embarassing if I can't quote this correctly) 'splay-footed, rubber-necked four flusher'.

There are so many examples of beautiful English in CS...

#8: Author: Bess, Location: Cambridge UK

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:05 pm
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I think of Evvy/Corny every time the traffic reporter on local radio refers to people slowing down to stare at accidents on the road as 'rubber-neckers.' I didn't know it was such a common phrase.

I rather like the word 'brainwaggle,' (from Joey, somewhere!) and use it often. It's just nice...

#9: Author: Squirrel, Location: St-Andrews or Dunfermline

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 9:02 am
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Bess wrote:

I think of Evvy/Corny every time the traffic reporter on local radio refers to people slowing down to stare at accidents on the road as 'rubber-neckers.' I didn't know it was such a common phrase.

Another closet CS fan?

#10: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:23 pm
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Squirrel wrote:

Bess wrote:

I think of Evvy/Corny every time the traffic reporter on local radio refers to people slowing down to stare at accidents on the road as 'rubber-neckers.' I didn't know it was such a common phrase.

Another closet CS fan?

I remember all holiday makers in my home town were always referred to as rubber neckers. Never twigged they said it too until I read the above

#11: Author: Xanthe, Location: London

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 9:35 am
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"Rumbustious crocodile" and "perambulating haystack".

Genius...

#12: Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:23 pm
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I've always liked the perambulating haystack, myself! And I've always been sorry EBD didn't write the crocodile scene in the study too...

#13: Author: Tiffany, Location: Is this a duck I see behind me?

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:33 pm
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"Great Caesar's bathmat" as an expression of surprise - said by Joey in one of the Tyrol books, I think. Love it! I never heard it anywhere else, so I wonder if she did make it up?

#14: Author: Aquabird, Location: North Lanarkshire, Scotland

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:15 pm
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I love this one from New Mistress: "But the look she cast at Emerence as she slowly got to her feet was the reverse of amiable."

#15: Author: Maisie, Location: St Albans, Herts, UK

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:53 pm
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I love all the phrases that seem to be the quinessential EBD to me and which recur throughout the series, for example:

'on my own, arched, insteps'
'unless I miss my guess'
'the outside of enough'
'cold, still and to all appearances dead'
'an ornament of the lower fifth'

I'm sure there are many more!

ETA: Oops, just found half of these in the most annoying phrases thread! Embarassed

#16: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:15 am
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I love 'its not my cup of tea' or 'for all the tea in China'
Tend to use the first on at times myself

#17: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 12:17 pm
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I love it when people are described as 'ornaments' of their form. It's so vey quaint. Smile

#18: Author: Hannah-Lou, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 8:36 pm
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Loryat wrote:

I love it when people are described as 'ornaments' of their form. It's so vey quaint. Smile

But they're often quite dull people and irritatingly good!

#19: Author: Maeve, Location: Romania

Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:28 am
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I love how people put on their tunics or hats or whatever, with

Quote:

fingers that had all a Frenchwoman’s gift of elegance

So many people with no obvious French ancestry had this gift throughout the series and I would so love, slob that I am, to have it myself.

#20: Author: Mrs Redboots, Location: London, UK

Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:45 pm
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Fiona Mc wrote:

I love 'its not my cup of tea' or 'for all the tea in China'
Tend to use the first on at times myself

We always said "for all the tea in China" - and I have adopted "on my own arched insteps" as I really like it!

#21: Author: Lisa A., Location: North Yorkshire

Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 2:32 pm
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I have adopted "the outside of enough" which I know appeared on the "most irritating" thread but I find most expressive.

I am currently torturing my class with can/may - it is causing great hilarity and becoming a class joke!

#22: Author: Clare, Location: Liverpool

Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 3:59 pm
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Lisa A. wrote:

I am currently torturing my class with can/may - it is causing great hilarity and becoming a class joke!

Oh yes, that is a good one. Especially when one kid looks gormelssly (can't spell, it's the end of the school day) at you, and other kids are chanting the rest of your sentence ("yes you can borrow a pen, but the real question is may you borrow one.")

#23: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 12:50 pm
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Clare wrote:

Lisa A. wrote:

I am currently torturing my class with can/may - it is causing great hilarity and becoming a class joke!

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