If Sam begins a story with the words "One time...", we pretty much know he's making it up.
Initially, I couldn't help be reminded of Alyson Mack's character in the American Pie movies..
Lately though, as the "One time..." tales have become taller, I have introduced him to a popular phrase from my own schooldays: Chinny reck-on.
This popular schoolyard expression of disbelief, usually accompanied by a thoughtful scratching of the chin, was also commonly referred to as "Jimmy Hill" back in the day, due to Mr. Hill's prodigious gifts in the chin department. Many comedians adopted the phrase because of its instant nostalgic humour, most notably Newman & Baddiel, back in the days of The Mary Whitehouse Experience.
According to the interweb, "the phrase is thought to have come from two earlier phrases – ich ne reckon (Germanic in origin) and ‘ch ne reckon. Both those slang phrases mean ‘I don’t think so’."
My response to that? Chinny reck-on, interweb.
Still, I like the idea that this silly old gesture from my childhood might enjoy new life among Sam's peer-group, even if they have no idea what it means. They won't be any more clued up than we were.
This seems like an appropriate time to play this...
Didn't know about "Chinny reck-on" before today, but I do remember schooldays in the early 1960's when lads would stroke their chins like in the Batman gif at the top of the page to show that they thought whoever was talking was telling a porky pie.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have a copy of that I Ludicrous single somewhere...possible on a cassette of a Peel show.
Just posted another comment that disappeared! Can't remember it now (lengthy) but the upshot was that the pic isn't of me, it's of Alyson Hannigan (Willow from Buffy/Michelle from American Pie). Didn't want to confuse any of the blogging buddies.
ReplyDeleteI can reliably say I've never been in American Pie!
DeleteI think it's fair to say only Jaaon Biggs has really been in American Pie.
DeleteIndeed and he really went for it!
DeleteAh, that one worked - I also mentioned that as far as gestures go the Austin Powers (Dr Evil) and Wayne's World (Garth) movies gave us quite a few. As for "This one time at Band Camp", there was always the legendary phrase "I don't think we'll tell your mother about this". You and Sam will also be in cahoots in the years to come I imagine.
ReplyDeleteThat's already begun.
DeleteThere's a lovely moment in the fantastic 'Detectorists' when they refer to a Chinny Reck-on as a Jimmy Waffle-on... don't you just love the way language continually evolves?! To be honest though, I'd heard of neither until that moment.
ReplyDelete