Here’s a news flash. It’s raining today.
I can’t go through a day with rain without thinking about the story I told you back in the summer about my mother proclaiming: “It’s gonna rain!” when we were going to do something outside. That statement became part of the family vocabulary like so many others over the years when I was growing up.
Another example is my dad saying: “I don’t have anything.” (This was his translation for “I don’t have any news to report.”), which probably dated to his days as a radio operator in the Army. There was also my mother’s admonishment about teen angst as being a case of “Running around and spinning your wheels.”
We still use that one a lot.
The lexicon of family life forms a richness and depth when you live in a house with three others who are also word people. You don’t make a grammatical error in my house – or misspeak something – without it being pointed out…almost like a perpetual red Sharpie marker hanging in the air.
Some vocab – like the Eeeps beep beeps example I mentioned yesterday – comes from childhood statements. A ‘label’ we use around our house a lot is ‘ones.’ It comes from the time that Holly referred to a supervisor as ‘the boss of the ones.’ In that example and others, ‘ones’ refers to persons or individuals. So, now, we refer to people as ‘ones.’ Holly has been known to enter a room and great us with “Hello ones!”
She might also substitute the word ‘Crazea’ (crazy) and call us crazeas. “Hello crazeas!” (It has virtually the same meaning).
It’s not just childhood family phrases that have made it into our Gary-speak. There are external examples too. One section of a favorite childhood book has particular meaning – Dr. Seuss’ ABC Book. For some reason, we have fixated on ‘O.’ The line goes: “O is very useful. You use it when you say: “Oscar’s Only Ostrich Oiled an Orange Owl today!”
I’m not sure why, but that really struck a chord with us. So, in our ‘turn a phrase’ kind of way, we’ll bring this phrase up at various times. For example, Lisa talked recently about ‘oiling’ her cast iron skillet. I looked at her (with the wry grin that signals ‘here comes a pun’) and said: “You know what else you could oil?” And, without missing a beat, she’ll reply: “An orange owl?”
We use the same phrase when she’ll talk about the utilitarian nature of a product. This (insert name of product) is very useful for (insert nature of its usefulness). And, again, with the same facial expression, I might ask “You know what else is ‘useful?’
She’ll respond in kind: “O?”
I wonder if number people have the same kind of ‘number play’ similar to what we do with words.
“You know what that means?” (Insert mathematical formula – all laugh uproariously).
Another external source was a parenting article I read that suggested reverse role play as a wonderful teaching tool. Thus, the game of ‘son and dad’ was born. I think it was a great way of teaching 7-year-old Paul some important lessons. And we also had a lot of fun in the process.
I think we all look back on the 'son and dad’ game with fondness (well maybe Paul looks on it with a little less fondness) and I hope that it was a good teaching tool. I think so.
By the way, one of our favorite son and dad scenarios was the game in which son was playing with dad’s tools. Dad would always find the tools his son had borrowed and son was hoping he wouldn’t be in trouble for messing with his dad’s property.
We also quote lines from favorite movies or shows. We also talk a LOT about Roger the Cat and his antics. And, of course, we do fall back on the occasional “Eeeps beep beeps” story when the timing calls for it.
Lots of great times and wonderful memories over the years. Family life is wonderful.
JG
Question: What interesting words and phrases do you use in your family? And what is the meaning and origin?
Originally posted 9/17/2012
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