the now
- DrPhill
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the now
I am currently on hold waiting for a scottish call center lady to deal with my query. she uses a phrase that I have not heard for ages 9since I last lived in Aberdeen), and I cannot find on the interwebs... 'the now'.
As in 'I will put you on hold the now'. Is this really that uncommon? North of the border for sure, but no hits on ddg?
As in 'I will put you on hold the now'. Is this really that uncommon? North of the border for sure, but no hits on ddg?
Phill
One does not equal two. Not even for very large values of one.
One does not equal two. Not even for very large values of one.
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Re: the now
It's common throughout Scotland, either as 'the nou' or 'the now'. Standard Scots usage, in fact. English equivalents would be (1) just now, at present; just a moment ago (2) in a moment, soon. (Concise Scots Dictionary, 2nd edn.)
I'm not sure if you'd hear it over the border in in Northumberland. I'll ask a couple of local Geordies about that tonight.
I'm not sure if you'd hear it over the border in in Northumberland. I'll ask a couple of local Geordies about that tonight.
- DrPhill
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Re: the now
Thank you. It is not just my senile memory and rosé tinted spectacles. I enjoyed my time north of the border and it was a delightful reminder (as was the ladies accent).
Phill
One does not equal two. Not even for very large values of one.
One does not equal two. Not even for very large values of one.
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Re: the now
More usually 'the noo'.......
(As in 'now'.)
(As in 'now'.)
Keith.
Trying to do justice to my various musical instruments.
Trying to do justice to my various musical instruments.
- Nanohedron
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Re: the now
You're right - it's practically impossible to find, outside of the English punk band of that name. Added "scottish" to the keywords, and it wasn't any help. I then tried adding a plus sign - "the+now scottish" - and even so, all I got was two sources, one of them Wikipedia, and both were basically lists you had to comb through to find what you wanted. The other source had it as "(the) noo". So next I tried typing in "the+noo scottish", and just about every hit seems to be the nonsense Scots parody phrase, "Och aye the noo." Great.DrPhill wrote:I cannot find on the interwebs... 'the now'.
I've read and heard it before - not a lot, but enough so you'd think that because of its character there ought to be something more about it on the Web.
I found some good Scottish jokes, though: "Ten cows in a field. Which is on holiday? The wan wae the wee calf." It took me a while.
"If you take music out of this world, you will have nothing but a ball of fire." - Balochi musician
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Re: the now
As Brian says above, it's normal here.Nanohedron wrote:I've read and heard it before - not a lot, but enough so you'd think that because of its character there ought to be something more about it on the Web.
I just read that and laughed out loud!I found some good Scottish jokes, though: "Ten cows in a field. Which is on holiday? The wan wae the wee calf." It took me a while.
PS I once saw a hi-fi magazine review excruciatingly titled 'Akai the New'!Nanohedron wrote:So next I tried typing in "the+noo scottish", and just about every hit seems to be the nonsense Scots parody phrase, "Och aye the noo." Great.
- Nanohedron
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Re: the now
Oh, dear... Stupid question, but it was of course a Scottish publication, right?Peter Duggan wrote:PS I once saw a hi-fi magazine review excruciatingly titled 'Akai the New'!Nanohedron wrote:So next I tried typing in "the+noo scottish", and just about every hit seems to be the nonsense Scots parody phrase, "Och aye the noo." Great.
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Re: the now
If that's a serious question and you're expecting an answer, no, of course not... it was from down south!Nanohedron wrote:Oh, dear... Stupid question, but it was of course a Scottish publication, right?
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Re: the now
Yes, it was a serious question. I thought maybe Caledonians might have it in them to play with such a groaner of a pun, even though it was based on a crude stereotype.Peter Duggan wrote:If that's a serious question and you're expecting an answer, no, of course not... it was from down south!Nanohedron wrote:Oh, dear... Stupid question, but it was of course a Scottish publication, right?
So it raises the (also serious) question: Since it wasn't published in Scotland, was it still intended to work that pun, or would it have been sheer happenstance?
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Re: the now
Yes, without a doubt. It's a clichéd 'Scottish' expression I've never heard any Scot say (seriously, at least) in its entirety but, as your introduction of it above attests, isn't exactly unknown elsewhere.Nanohedron wrote:Since it wasn't published in Scotland, was it still intended to work that pun
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Re: the now
Then pardon me if I sound a bit touchy about it, but given the source, "Akai the New" comes off as someone using the cover of "wit" as an excuse to express unprovoked bigotry apropos of nothing but the opportunity to go there. But hey - maybe I'm reading too much into it; it's not my back yard, after all.Peter Duggan wrote:Yes, without a doubt. It's a clichéd 'Scottish' expression I've never heard any Scot say (seriously, at least) in its entirety but, as your introduction of it above attests, isn't exactly unknown elsewhere.Nanohedron wrote:Since it wasn't published in Scotland, was it still intended to work that pun
The vast majority of Yanks would never get it without context staring them right in the face. If "Och aye the noo" (which I knew of, but only in passing) weren't already an immediate part of this conversation, for me "Akai the New" on its own wouldn't have brought the other to mind; instead, I would have simply questioned the value of its quirky syntax and wondered if that's what you were getting at. I suppose having Scotland for a neighbor would sharpen my perspective.
"If you take music out of this world, you will have nothing but a ball of fire." - Balochi musician