# Isms (colloquialisms)



## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I got the idea for this fun "ism" thread from a comment @RegalCharm made on another thread 

I thought it would be fun to read how synonyms can vary from region to region and country to country

Even accents can be interpreted in a wrong way -- when I first retired to southern Middle Tennessee, I couldn't figure out why a lady was talking about "coats" when the subject was horses. She was really saying "colt" :smile:

Another term I had to get used to was "does the horse saddle". In my northern wisdom I thought that meant "is the horse broke to a saddle". Nupe -- in this area, that term means "will the horse gait" :smile:

Please say your country and vaguely the area where you live


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

It's hard to know sometimes whether something that sounds idiomatic really is or not. For instance, in North Texas growing up, people would say of someone that he (I think it was always a he) was "all hat no cattle," which I think is pretty self-explanatory. Or maybe it's not? Or maybe people everywhere say it?

Also sort of Texas-y, maybe, is the kindergarten teacher's chant of "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit." In Texan, that rhymes, because "get" is pronounced "git."


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

I'm Australian and probably can't play here. Who knows, we'll see! But I know an interesting song about -isms. I provide it free of charge as a general soundtrack for anyone who is feeling musical. I think you can party to this, @walkinthewalk... ;-)






I shall be reading this topic with interest. People on HF taught me to say_ y'all_ and _all y'all_, after all.


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## aussiemum (Apr 11, 2013)

ACinATX said:


> Also sort of Texas-y, maybe, is the kindergarten teacher's chant of "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit." In Texan, that rhymes, because "get" is pronounced "git."


Here in Australia I've heard "you get what you get and you don't get upset"

Can't think of any others off the top of my head, but I'm sure a lot of things us Australians say would not make sense to others
:smile:


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## WildestDandelion (Apr 4, 2019)

ACinATX said:


> It's hard to know sometimes whether something that sounds idiomatic really is or not. For instance, in North Texas growing up, people would say of someone that he (I think it was always a he) was "all hat no cattle," which I think is pretty self-explanatory. Or maybe it's not? Or maybe people everywhere say it?
> 
> Also sort of Texas-y, maybe, is the kindergarten teacher's chant of "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit." In Texan, that rhymes, because "get" is pronounced "git."


we say that in Oklahoma too haha


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

I've mentioned this one before. I had recently moved to N. Central Fl and riding with my neighbor. We were riding along happily on a trail when he said, "Do you want to walk?" I thought, 'Um, I thought we WERE walking.' He meant "walk on" or do running walk. People will say, "He walks good" meaning he has a nice gait.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

I've talked about a few of these before:


SE Oklahoma.


Punchy = tough and rough around the edges, ready to go brushpopping, cow punching, etc. Your tack, yourself, your friends, your boots, your clothes, your knife, your horse, your saddle, can all be 'punchy'. Suspect it is derived from Cow Punching/Puncher/Super Puncher (Dale Brisby, Ol'son.)

Gert = Girth = Cinch

Latigo = A leather tie strap

Tie Strap = Synthetic Latigo

Flank Strap = back girth

Headstall = complete bridle, or can be just the actual headstall with no bit, curb chain, or reins.

Give it the Gears = This one is new to me. Imagine being in a 4wd, about to get stuck, and you're giving it hell to try to push on through. Also to drive your car with the foot to the floor, hauling grass, everywhere you go. Your horse can be giving it the gears, you can be giving a truck the gears, you can be giving the gears on foot.

Send it = Also kinda new to me. Commonly heard shouted by fans when a barrel racer and horse are in the alley, or team ropers are in the box, and the flag drops. SEND IT! You can also yell it at a friend when you're trail riding and you've all decided to let out on the brakes and kick up the horses too.

Paint = Any painted horse of any breed.. It's an antiquated term from long before APHA was a thing. Context alone here differentiates an APHA paint from say, my scruffy mutt, Trigger, who is in no way APHA or even a recognizable breed. He's just loud colored. Paint can also be a grade horse from APHA parents. Pinto around here is beans. (Bad grammar intentional) ( See also meme below. It is of my own creation).

Bushwacking = Brush Popping. There are actually shirts made called Brush Poppers. Thick cotton canvas, kinda stiff. 

Brush Popping = Also equals Getting Punchy/Doing Punchy Ish of questionable safety. Also sketchy stuff.

Also, Dale Brisby's Super Puncher Vid... ol' son. (I just LOVE his horse Boone. Boone must be the most desensitized, chill horse on the planet).


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

I remember something very funny from Germany which I'm going to try to explain. When you talk about taking a bridle off a horse in German, the expression for that is "das Gebiss herausnehmen" - to take out the "Gebiss" - a word simultaneously meaning "set of teeth / dentures / bit" and this can give rise to confusion amongst beginner riders who haven't heard that expression relating to a horse bit before. :confused_color: So there was an anecdote I heard where a little girl, after a lesson, was asked to take out the pony's "Gebiss" and she emerged from the stable after five minutes of confused paralysis timidly inquiring if anyone had pliers she could borrow...:shock:


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## Caledonian (Nov 27, 2016)

There is so many in our three different languages - English, Scots and Scots Gaelic/Gàidhlig.

Garron or Gearron in Gaelic - I use it to describe the heavier type of Highland. Some use it for geldings or any small sturdy pony. It's rarely used by younger riders.

Curple - Is a crupper, I was baffled when i was told to tack-up and use the curple.

Cuddie - a small horse or donkey. My friend's dad calls all of his horses that so he doesn't have to remember their names.

Avier - an old horse

Lan-afore - for the plough horse on unploughed land but i can't remember the name for the one in the furrow.

Dun - always a dun even when it's a buckskin.

Mouse-dun. Traditionally used for Grullo(a) Highlands but used for all horses that colour.

Skewbald is any non-black and white and piebald is black and white. No paints or pintos.

Headstall is never used usually bridle or headcollar.


Whit's fur ye'll, no go past ye! - if it's meant to happen, it will.

Na h-abair ach beagan is abair gu math e.- say but little and say it well.


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

Mine isn’t a saying, or an -ism, but rather a choice of words.

General population calls a bunch of horses a “herd”, which is the proper scholarly collective noun for it. Horse people also call it a “herd” when talking to general populace. However, amongst ourselves we call it a “pride” of horses - like the lions.

The strangest thing is very few people notice they do it.

Location: Eastern Europe.

(This is in a different language, not English - I gave the direct translations)


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## RegalCharm (Jul 24, 2008)

If looks could kill. That is what you get when you call the girl you are with by the girl's name you were with last night. You just know you screwed up big time and that the date is over because you are just going to be apologizing the rest of the night.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Horsef said:


> However, amongst ourselves we call it a “pride” of horses - like the lions.


Nah mate, that's just wrong!  Its a mob. Always a mob or mobs. You got your mob of horses, mob of kangaroos, mobs of flies, mobs of water...

I've never heard the 'all hat no cattle' before - i like that. Assume it means someone who 'talks the talk but can't walk the walk'- he's a cowboy in image & ego only? Or does it mean something like... he's a couple of tinnies short of a slab? Couple of sandwiches short of a picnic...


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

& Atoka what on earth is cow punching?? Anything like cow tipping??(anyone seen the show Barnyard? )


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

loosie said:


> Nah mate, that's just wrong!  Its a mob. Always a mob or mobs. You got your mob of horses, mob of kangaroos, mobs of flies, mobs of water...
> 
> I've never heard the 'all hat no cattle' before - i like that. Assume it means someone who 'talks the talk but can't walk the walk'- he's a cowboy in image & ego only? Or does it mean something like... he's a couple of tinnies short of a slab? Couple of sandwiches short of a picnic...



All hat and no cattle = All mouth and no trousers. LOL One you get past the hat and the swagger, there's no substance there. Wildly speculating, I'd say it comes from the kinda fella you see walking around in a big hat, fancy boots and jeans, claiming to be a cowboy, but in truth has never done a single punchy thing in his life.... he's all talk.




loosie said:


> & Atoka what on earth is cow punching?? Anything like cow tipping??(anyone seen the show Barnyard? )



LOL I googled it so you'd get the official definition:


_Cow punching is the act of herding cattle.
Rather, it encompasses actions such as wrangling, herding, and branding cattle. The term cow punching comes from the slang used to describe cowboys and cowgirls. When they herded cattle for a living, it was not uncommon for them to be called a cow punch._

By extension, any ranch work that involves cows and/or working cows with horses or atvs, etc.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

There are many variants on words depending on what part of the country you are. 

I have noticed that some of the southern states people will say 'where be it?' That is also a saying from the SW UK. 

Get the broad dialects and it is like another language. 

At school I had the part in a play as the Irish cook. I was told that I needed to improve my Irish accent so, I asked the grandmother - in her 90s to help me. She read my part and I mimicked her parrot fashion. 

When we had a rehearsal I said my lines and everyone just looked at me aghast, they couldn't understand a word!


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

loosie said:


> Nah mate, that's just wrong!  Its a mob. Always a mob or mobs. You got your mob of horses, mob of kangaroos, mobs of flies, mobs of water...


Yeah, well, I think we are trying to make ourselves look fearsome in our own eyes.

Gathering a mob of horses doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as gathering a PRIDE of horses. 

Ok, we might be bunch of middle-aged women in ill-fitting, snot-smeared jods running after some lazy, fat horses of questionable heritage who pointedly ignore us until we fish a carrot out of an ancient sports bra, but, darn it - it’s a PRIDE of horses we are gathering


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Not mob, not pride, it's a herd


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

SilverMaple said:


> Not mob, not pride, it's a herd


Ya talking ‘bout the middle-aged women, ain’t ya?


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

knightrider said:


> I've mentioned this one before. I had recently moved to N. Central Fl and riding with my neighbor. We were riding along happily on a trail when he said, "Do you want to walk?" I thought, 'Um, I thought we WERE walking.' He meant "walk on" or do running walk. People will say, "He walks good" meaning he has a nice gait.


Annnd -- here in southern Middle Tennessee they say "that horse really hits a good lick" if it has a nice gait

I have heard "walk on" but, if the horse isn't going into their gait, I have heard "walk up here, now!", lollol


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## CopperLove (Feb 14, 2019)

The terms for tack bits that Atoka posted reminded me...

I don't know if this is a here thing (United States, Kentucky) or if it's from wherever my boarding family is from... they call all back cinches "bucking straps", which I thought was something different used on rodeo horses or bulls?


I'll add one that's not horse-related that I was surprised to learn a few years ago, that even some other people in my area haven't heard before. I'm not sure if it's old hill-speak handed down from my grandparents or where it actually originated from:

So, the word "Carrion" means dead animal flesh.

But my grandparents always referred to carcasses as something pronounced like "Kyarn" (as if you're saying yarn, but with a hard K sound at the front.) ie. "The dog's rolled in kyarn." Meaning, the dog found something dead and rolled in it, so now it stinks.

Well as it turns out, those two are actually the same word. "Kyarn" is a different pronunciation of "Carrion."

Clearly it's not just my grandparent's who said this, because an friend of mine who's maybe 10 years older than me, who'd never met me before I moved to college, was who explained it to me. But where it started, I don't know. I'd be interested to know if this is an old Appalachian thing or if it's something someone else out there has heard too :lol:


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## therhondamarie (Sep 18, 2019)

I'm from Florida originally with my grandparents coming from South Georgia, so my family is rife with Southern slang. 

Madder than a wet hen

cattywampus

lookin' like a ragamuffin

And another weird thing about the South is referring to all soda as coke. I never realized I did this until I moved.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Words are fun!


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## aubie (Aug 24, 2013)

Sigogglin - Points for who gets it.

Even money it's someone from Kentucky.


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## RegalCharm (Jul 24, 2008)

not built correctly, crooked, skewed to the side, out of balance.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Oh my, lollollol

I have heard all the terms and words @therhondamarie and @loosie mentioned and have used most of them:smile::smile:

I'm waiting for someone to say what "sigogglin" means -- that's one I have never heard:smile:


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## aubie (Aug 24, 2013)

walkinthewalk said:


> Oh my, lollollol
> 
> I have heard all the terms and words @therhondamarie and @loosie mentioned and have used most of them:smile::smile:
> 
> I'm waiting for someone to say what "sigogglin" means -- that's one I have never heard:smile:


Regal is the winner.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Again from my childhood in North Texas. Among the "country" girls, calling another girl a "heifer" was a serious insult.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

ACinATX said:


> Again from my childhood in North Texas. Among the "country" girls, calling another girl a "heifer" was a serious insult.


"Heifer" is still alive and well in my area and still is a fightin' word, lol


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

yep, Heifer is an insult and all carbonated beverages are either cokes or soft drinks,,as in 'what kind of coke do you want?" (just substitute 'soft drink' for coke in that sentence) Although that's not nearly as prevalent as it used to be,,,we mostly say the brands now-a-days (how's that one?) But all tissues are still Kleenex. lol.

In the grocery store, we use a buggy while other parts of the country use carts. Someone who's not so bright is referred to as 'his/her biscuits aren't done in the middle'. 'Take a load off', or 'Set your groceries down' means to sit and rest. 'Doesn't that just cock yer pistol" =irritating or upsetting. 

My examples were mostly Southern , by the way. I hear quite a few people use 'colt' for all young horses, but it's mostly non-horsey people who don't know any better, Bless their hearts. 'Bless his/her heart' can be used sarcastically or sincerely...as in an expression of sincere sympathy, or to mean the person is dumb as a rock, depends on the tone of voice and facial expression. Likewise 'Have a Blessed day" can mean just that , or it can mean I hope your day sucks, you stink...also depends on tone of voice ,body language and facial expression. I've heard 'Have a Blessed day' back and forth exchanges go on for at least 4 'Have a Blessed Days'. 

Momma had several from her NorthEastern Irish upbringing, but the only ones that come to mind are "here's your hat-what's your hurry? " and "shoot fire and save the matches". Probably 'shoot' was used in front of us kids instead of the real word. ==please go ahead and leave for the first, and an expression of frustration for the second one. 

I've never heard anyone call a back cinch/flank cinch a bucking strap, but had a lady apparently think it is one recently as I was about to mount a horse that coincidently hadn't been ridden in 'a long time' ...she kinda freaked out when she saw my back cinch on the horse and seriously wanted to take it off,,I'm the new kid at the barn and it is a loaner horse , so I let her, but rode with it the next time and , of course, no reaction from the horse. 

This may not be Southern, but some one recently told me that a certain business had been there 'since Moby **** was a minnow'. LOL! I've been using that one since hearing it. Cover your ears..ummm eyes, if you're easily offended because that same person, in referring to a very unpleasant chore, said "I'd rather put my baby sister to work in a ***** house than to have to do that!" 

Ta Ta (goodbye), don't let the bedbugs bite (sleep well),
Fay


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Another one I had to get used to in Middle Tennessee was "oh yea, he/she is real mess". In this manner, it is an affectionate term. 

A shake of the head followed by "he/she is really messed up means that person really does have major problems.

"We're gonna have ta git gone" is another one.

"Yes, I guess not" applies a lot in my area. Like *mslady254* commented, the tone of voice often indicates if the Ism was meant in a good way or a bad way, lol

"Not since Moby **** was a minnow" was something I heard all my life on the OH/PA border.


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## ChieTheRider (May 3, 2017)

I haven't heard anyone mention "gullywasher" yet. My mother (born and raised in the Florida panhandle) introduced us to that word. Dad had no idea what it meant. A big storm's coming, it'll be a gullywasher. Some people use the term "toad strangler", and i guess that means the water's so high even the wetland animals can't handle it.

Another one- peewaddlin'. Still not sure what this means, but it's most often used like: "you scared the peewaddlin heck outta me". I wonder if thats like the phrase "being caught with your trousers down"...

Honorable mentions: "if the creek don't rise" and "dadgummit".


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

therhondamarie said:


> I'm from Florida originally with my grandparents coming from South Georgia, so my family is rife with Southern slang.
> 
> Madder than a wet hen
> 
> ...


Growing up in S. California, all soda's were coke.
"I'm going to the store, do you want anything?"
"Yeah, get me a coke"
"what kind?"
"Um, Dr. Pepper"

And then I moved to MN and it was always pop. Over to NY and it was soda. I think everyone in FL calls it soda for the most part too. At least that is what I mostly hear.


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## Elsie (Nov 14, 2018)

I love this


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## Elsie (Nov 14, 2018)

Horsef said:


> Yeah, well, I think we are trying to make ourselves look fearsome in our own eyes.
> 
> Gathering a mob of horses doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as gathering a PRIDE of horses.
> 
> Ok, we might be bunch of middle-aged women in ill-fitting, snot-smeared jods running after some lazy, fat horses of questionable heritage who pointedly ignore us until we fish a carrot out of an ancient sports bra, but, darn it - it’s a PRIDE of horses we are gathering


This is me too  Bliss!


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## Elsie (Nov 14, 2018)

In South Africa we use the words Ja-Nee very often. Directly translated it means Yes-No. It can mean anything from you totally agree with someone; sympathize with them or the situation or "you wish you could change the situation, but will just have to go with the flow".


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

Elsie said:


> In South Africa we use the words Ja-Nee very often. Directly translated it means Yes-No. It can mean anything from you totally agree with someone; sympathize with them or the situation or "you wish you could change the situation, but will just have to go with the flow".


Another South-Africanism I noticed is “Agh, shame” used for anything, from cute puppies in a squealing tone of voice to a flat tire your colleague is telling you about, in a suitably forlorn tone of voice  

Another one is “now-now” - can mean anything, from a few minutes to a few weeks. “We are going to Botswana now-now” probably means two weeks from now, but you never know


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## Elsie (Nov 14, 2018)

Horsef said:


> Another South-Africanism I noticed is “Agh, shame” used for anything, from cute puppies in a squealing tone of voice to a flat tire your colleague is telling you about, in a suitably forlorn tone of voice
> 
> Another one is “now-now” - can mean anything, from a few minutes to a few weeks. “We are going to Botswana now-now” probably means two weeks from now, but you never know


Yep. Those too are very commonly used.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

"a horse apiece" - upper midwest-- I've heard this in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

"Do you want to go shopping on Saturday or Sunday?"
"It's a horse apiece. Just let me know what works for you."

Basically, it means they're both the same/no difference/no preference.

Other ones heard commonly here in Iowa:

"Go see a man about a dog." - have to go to the bathroom. 

"sneak by you" - when you want to pass someone, or get around someone in the store/sidewalk/road, etc. "I'll just sneak by you here. Excuse me."

"spit in your eye" - not liked. "Mr. Travers is sure a grump. He'd sooner spit in your eye as talk to ya."

"fair to middlin" - ok, but not great. "How're you feeling today?" "Oh, fair to middlin'. Can't complain."

And yes, calling someone a heifer or sow is an egregious insult....


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## therhondamarie (Sep 18, 2019)

LoriF said:


> Growing up in S. California, all soda's were coke.
> "I'm going to the store, do you want anything?"
> "Yeah, get me a coke"
> "what kind?"
> ...


I still call it all coke! The bad part is that I do not like actual coke, so it has backfired on me. Maybe that's why I quit drinking any cokes!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Elsie said:


> In South Africa we use the words Ja-Nee very often. Directly translated it means Yes-No. It can mean anything from you totally agree with someone; sympathize with them or the situation or "you wish you could change the situation, but will just have to go with the flow".


I think the version of that, I grew up with is “yes, I guess not”:smile:


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## RegalCharm (Jul 24, 2008)

Like a cat with a long tail in a room full of rocking chairs. Eventually your going to get hurt.

The following are kind of self explanatory 

Busier than a one legged man in an a** kicking contest.

Elevator doesn't go to the top floor

One oar out of the water

Lights are on but nobody is home.

A few bricks shy of a load.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Germans say:

_He hasn't all his cups in his cupboard.

He has a screw loose.

You may slide off my hunched back (i.e. get lost/go away).
_

Rural Australians say:

_As useless as tits on a bull.

You might as well talk to a fence post as that person.

He has a few kangaroos loose in the top paddock._


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Elsie said:


> In South Africa we use the words Ja-Nee very often. Directly translated it means Yes-No. It can mean anything from you totally agree with someone; sympathize with them or the situation or "you wish you could change the situation, but will just have to go with the flow".


I saw an English version of that: _Nyes_. That's probably from Indian use of English as I first saw that in _The God Of Small Things_, a novel by Arundhati Roy.,


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## RegalCharm (Jul 24, 2008)

How about the one "Do as I say, Not as I do.


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