Quote:
BTW, for our international readers, a 'dill' is an insult, not a small pickle. However calling someone a small pickle is about the level of insult, although it's actually an abbreviation for a man-substitute with batteries.
Given the focus of journalistic correctness I do feel the need to add to James' advice to the world on the aussie slang use of "dill", and correct its orgins.
It universally means "idiot" here in Australia, but usually in a jesting, endearing or affectionate way rather than as a serious insult (we have far better words for that).
However its use well and trully pre-dates the arrival of battery operated marrital aids into the world and any impact on the vocabulary.
I suspect like many Australian slang terms it has its origins as an adaption of an overseas term:
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dilly
"delightful or excellent person or thing" [b](often used ironically), [/b]1935, from an earlier adj. (1909), perhaps from the first syllable of delightful or delicious, or related to the nursery word for "duck." Dilly was also slang for a stagecoach (1818), from Fr. carrosse de diligence. The noun is 1935. Dilly-dally is from 1741, a reduplication of dally.
Interestingly the term James is linking it to is much older than its modern battery operated decendents.
Quote:
dildo
c.1593, perhaps a corruption of It. deletto "delight," or (less likely) of Eng. diddle (q.v.). "Curse Eunuke dilldo, senceless counterfet" ["Choise of Valentines or the Merie Ballad of Nash his Dildo," T. Nashe, c.1593]
As James explained we are enjoying run of 40C days this week, and for those not fully aware of the Celcius to to Fahrenheit conversions, James and I are to enjoy 43.4 Degrees C today, or 110 degrees F.
But relief is on its way, we have a cool change expected on Saturday, 39C or 102F!
So we would certainly appreciate "chill"-ing
we now resume to normal programs and the scrapping of vulcans
smiles
Mark Pilkington
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