tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3954227388486879706.post5318420383894873693..comments2024-03-21T00:59:27.758+00:00Comments on The Word Den: Nuts and Bolts: Wellerisms.Sally Pruehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15999389456442530903noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3954227388486879706.post-60170202008791251982015-01-27T11:49:20.877+00:002015-01-27T11:49:20.877+00:00Thanks, Stephen, that's really interesting. Th...Thanks, Stephen, that's really interesting. The humour in Dickens is certainly often liquorice-black.<br />The very best possible luck with your book!Sally Pruehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15999389456442530903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3954227388486879706.post-6821522464880864222015-01-27T11:41:20.551+00:002015-01-27T11:41:20.551+00:00Hello
I have made a little study of the literature...Hello<br />I have made a little study of the literature relating Wellerisms (I’ll say why in a minute), and yes, you’re right, they are ancient. The earliest one in England is possibly from an account of the death of King Oswald at the 7th century Battle of Maserfield, (“God have mercy on their souls,” said Oswald, as he fell to the earth.) But Wellerisms really took off as a result of the massive success of The Pickwick Papers, where they were uttered with a style of their own, partly as a result of the London dialect in which Sam Weller spoke, in which the letters “V” and “W” were swapped – “Vel, that’s werry good” – and partly because of their black-comedy content, which often related to death. (Even the example you quote, about swallowing a farthing, suggests that the child may choke to death.)<br />I feature Wellerisms, and explore their re-emergence in early nineteenth-century London, in my forthcoming novel Death and Mr Pickwick, which tells the story of the origins and subsequent history of The Pickwick Papers. If anyone (or anyVUN) is interested, further information about my novel can be found on my website www.deathandmrpickwick.com<br />Stephen Jarvishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06131684050764917199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3954227388486879706.post-61283241798267230692014-03-26T12:15:48.691+00:002014-03-26T12:15:48.691+00:00Splutters.Splutters.Sally Pruehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15999389456442530903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3954227388486879706.post-73169201452832586892014-03-26T11:58:34.240+00:002014-03-26T11:58:34.240+00:00Sheer good taste is the serving of lamb at dinner....Sheer good taste is the serving of lamb at dinner.<br /><br />*coughs*Eddie Lexihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08286045359355498275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3954227388486879706.post-19611360893094529892014-03-26T08:15:02.642+00:002014-03-26T08:15:02.642+00:00If I were you I'd put it down to sheer good ta...If I were you I'd put it down to sheer good taste.Sally Pruehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15999389456442530903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3954227388486879706.post-84988387571831307592014-03-26T06:31:55.589+00:002014-03-26T06:31:55.589+00:00So that's what they're called.
They're...So that's what they're called.<br />They're fun, but I think after a few they'd become groan-worthy!<br />Why can't I think of a good one to sign off with! :)<br /><br />Jingleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12818918125701078566noreply@blogger.com