What does 'Helpmaboab' mean? The Middenface lad has said it loads of times, as have loads of other Scots characters in loads of different comics, but I've never heard it spoken aloud. It seems to translate literally as 'Help my Robert'. Also, is the Scunner Campbell still knocking about the Highlands these days?
Like jings and crivvens, it means, "Oh dear."
The Scunner Campbell was eventually vanquished by Supergran and is now in panto somewhere.
- McTrout
veI figured it meant 'Oh dear'; but what I was wondering was how it translated literally. Is it like 'Help me, Bob', as in the Irish 'Oh, Jayzus Christ above help me' (substituting the word 'Bob' for the impolite use of the Lord's name), or is it like 'Help my Bob', as in 'My son / brother / friend, Robert, will appreciate The Almighty's help with this particular conundrum'.
Also, why does Irvine Welsh call a face a 'coupon'? I usually suss most of his colloquialisms fairly quickly, but is this rhyming slang or what?
I will be more than happy, by the way, to explain any Irish colloquialisms or quirks of language in return for your collective Scottish kindness in my hour of need.
It means good gracious, who'd believe it, jings, blimey o'Riley. & thus forth. we all say it all the time, don't we?
>>Also, why does Irvine Welsh call a face a 'coupon'?
'cos coupons get stamped.
eg. "Right, that's it. Ah'm gonnae stamp your fuckin' coupon for ye, pal."
Ah. We were jsut wondering if you'd burned down at the weekend.
Does that mean:
"PVS yer claimed. Im gonna stamp all over yer coupon ya feckin' weedgie!"
yer Slippo
I've always heard it in the context of "Oor Wullie". Erm, that's a Sunday Post comic strip if anyone thought taht was a strange thing to say (see other thread somewhere for picture). I always thought it was something to do with his mate 'Fat Boab' but it's not, as I discovered.
Someone said it was a replacement for Grud or Jeebus, so that's probably right. My Auntie always says "Oh Mike" when she means something like that. Probably a result of a strict Christian family upbringing, not invoking the wrath of Grud n' a' that.
I always wondered if it meant "boaby" as in "willy," but that would be too funny for words.
The Sunday Post would never allow it.
I shall make inquiries with that hallowed publication and get back to you.
- Trout
'cos coupons get stamped.'
I see! I never thought of that, but it explains everything. Especially when it comes out of the mouth of someone like Frank Begbie.
And as for 'Helpmaboab':
'Someone said it was a replacement for Grud or Jeebus, so that's probably right.'
Seems reasonable enough.
Thanks for all your help, Scotch people! Oh, all right, then, 'Scots people'.
One more thing, sorry:
Do people really say 'Jings' in Scotland? (I might as well bleed this Scotland thing dry while we're on the subject. Don't you just hate a tourist? Especially one that isn't even in your country.)
"Do people really say 'Jings' in Scotland?"
I dinae ken, do Geordies really say "Ecky thump!" Do Londerers really say "Cor Blimey Guvn'r!" Do Scousers really say "Calm Daan, Calm Daan!"
I have never heard a Scotsman or Scotswoman say "Jings" in anything other than jest.
Link: The A-Z of Cal-Hab
do Geordies really say "Ecky thump!"
I thought that was meant to be Yorkshire term? A Geordieism would be more like:
"Alreet, pet. Let's gan doon the toon."
I'm starting to trawl the barrel down and come up with all of the famous colloquialisms just to please the locals down here. I've been using such old favourites as jings, crivvens, helpmaboab, och aye the noo, gonnae no dae that, and various other ovscure ones.
What is it with the English and someone with a Scottish accent? Do they really think we still live in caves and run around in kilts all the time?
DC
Dont we??? :-)
We may as well keep feeding them the lie..... Just the same way as Jaysus B Christ, drinks Guiness, has about twenty children and likes whickey?
**Takes tongue from cheek**
Yer Slippo
ah divvnt knaa where you get this shite aboot geordies like,whee d'youse think you fuckin are like,eh,do you wanna fuckin gan like? eh?
'Just the same way as Jaysus B Christ, drinks Guiness, has about twenty children and likes whickey?'
I also have eyebrows on my cheeks and a pig under my arm, bejapers, so I do, so I do.
Some helpful excerpts from the McGlossary in 'The Bogie Man' by Wagner, Grant and Smith.
Annat - "And that" Often mystifyingly used to end a statement, e.g. "Ah could fair murder some o' thae chups, annat!" (I am desirous of having some of those french fries!). Totally meaningless
Bampot - idiot
Banjo - strike violently
Bar-L - Barlinnie Prison
Bawheid - "ball head", a term of abuse
Baw's up oan the slates - activity is at an end
Bhoys, ra - Glasgow Celtic FC
Bowfin' - stinking
But - see "Annat", another word puzzingly used to close a sentence, e.g. "Get yer ain chups, but!" (Kindly obtain your own french fries!)
Chump (aff yer) - Head (off your)
Clarty - dirty, smelly
Dunt - knock / blow
Embra - Edinburgh
Fandabbadozey - fantastic
Ferrit face - someone about to be struck
Gerrintaeum - "Get into them", attack with some vigour
Haverin' - prattling
Heidbanger - dangerous lunatic
Heidcase - ordinary everyday lunatic
Heid the baw - literally "head the ball", an idiot
Helpmaboab - expression of alarm, literally "Help me, Robert!"
Hen - term of affection
Hullawrerr - Hello there
Jimmy - anyone (male) you don't know
Jings - exclamation
Keek - Glance, look
Laldy - a thrashing
Mairrit - married
Michty me - exclamation, e.g. good grief
Micky Rooney - looney
Murder, polis - exclamation of alarm
Nae tother a ba' - No bother at all
Nyaff - person of no account
Och - roughly equivalent to "oh", pronounced as if clearing the throat
Screw the nut - Get a grip on yourself
Sky it - Run for it
Soash - social security
Stoater - a particularly fine example of anything
Sufferin' duck - an exclamation of displeasure
To add further details to the above...
Bowfin' - stinking as in to make you vomit, pukey etc.
Ferrit face - someone about to be struck ; I would say also, someone who looks like they been sooking lemons, probably work for the soash.
Hen - term of affection , female only, as in "AW hen yur loookin' pealy wally"
Heidbanger ; we also have heider- "thons a richt fecking heider"
& ye forgot chibb; a knife...& many more
Ive just read this Jaysus, and though im scotch (sic) I never considered what it meant. But your whole "help me, bob" has caught my attention. You say that it could be replacing the name of the lord with something more polite. But what if it wasnt? What if it was...subgenius?
Link: http://www.subgenius.com
Hmm. Unless it has historical origins and refers to Robert the Bruce. But that's a wild guess, though.
Sweet holy christ on toast! Well, I for one am converted.
Praise Bob and pass the pipe...
(Also, cheers for the Bogey Man Scottish dictionary. Not sure how, but I'm familiar with most of the terms, but there is a few gems there I've never hears before.)
There's also:
Pus like a well-skelped erse
and lobie-dosser.
But I'm not going to translate them, because I'm evil that way.
- Trout
'Head like a well-skelped arse' is used in Ireland, so I have a fair idea of what that's about.
"A face like a buldug lickin pish aff a thistle" is also a particularily outstanding example of the venacular.
I would commend Tom Shields diary in the Glasgow Herald to any would be students of the Scots tongue.
By the way, all Campbells are scunners. There wasn't just one. It's a clan thing. Don't get involved.
That's untrue, Dounreay! I quite like Neve Campbell.
But then there's Nicky Campbell...
Actually, I'm with you.
- Trout