Your modern ways and language confuses and scares me. It makes me want to run and hide into the safety of my cave.
Seriously, is there a definition page on this site? Although I have no problem with the typed accents of sort, but I'm not hip to many of the terms used. For instance, if someone were to call me a punter, would I have reason to be upset? Should I put up my dukes or put down my fiddle? (not that I have been called one mind you..........yet!!)
So how about some basics to help me out with my vernacular? I also thought it would be interesting to get some various definitions from around the globe.
Urm...try taking a gander at the book "A Field Guide to The Irish Music Session" by Barry Foy. It's a look at this stuff so complete (including a glossary at the back) that a lot of people think it's total bosh.
Largely, the language of the Irish session is the language of Ireland and the Other Islands Formerly Known As British.
Aagh. No, there was a thread a while back where we tried to figure out where the term "punter" came from, but I can't hit on the right combo of words to find it...
punt3 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pnt)
intr.v. punt·ed, punt·ing, punts
Games. To lay a bet against the bank, as in roulette.
Chiefly British Slang. To gamble.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[French ponter, from obsolete pont, past participle of pondre, to put (obsolete), to lay an egg, from Old French, to lay an egg, from Latin pnere. See apo- in Indo-European Roots.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
punter n.
punt2 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pnt) Football
n.
A kick in which the ball is dropped from the hands and kicked before it touches the ground.
v. punt·ed, punt·ing, punts
v. tr.
To propel (a ball) by means of a punt.
v. intr.
To execute a punt.
Informal. To cease doing something; give up: Let's punt on this and try something else.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Perhaps from dialectal punt, to strike, push, perhaps alteration of bunt.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
punter n.
punt1 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pnt)
n.
An open flatbottom boat with squared ends, used in shallow waters and usually propelled by a long pole.
v. punt·ed, punt·ing, punts
v. tr.
To propel (a boat) with a pole.
To carry in a punt.
v. intr.
To go in a punt.
[Probably Middle English *punt, from Old English punt, from Latin pont, pontoon, flatbottom boat, from pns, pont-, bridge. See pent- in Indo-European Roots.]
n 1: someone who propels a boat with a pole 2: (football) a person who kicks the football by dropping it from the hands and contacting it with the foot before it hits the ground 3: someone who bets [syn: bettor, better, wagerer]
It's the one who lays the bet, or has a punt. In the way we use it, it definitely comes from the gambling world. It has a connotation of haplessnes, and is insulting in that way.
Punter just means a geezer. A geezer is a just a yob.
.
.
.
A punter in our context is just someone in the pub, but who is not playing the music, or rather not participating in the session. From its previous usage here my understanding is the emphasis being on a person who is actually listening to what is going on. It seems to be modest session-speak for audience.
But there are also a lot of Americanisms and Aussie-isms used here which I try and interpret as I go and keep reading without coming up for metaphorical air.
What aussie-isms?? Actually a friend who is from London told me the other day that we are the only ones in the world to call british people 'Pommies' - I just assumed thats what everyone called you Lads- dont ask me where it comes from but its sort of like calling australian's 'skips' (as in Skippy the bush kangaroo Hmmm - stubbie is an aussie term as well I think.
Really? When I was in London the first time hanging out in a pub of a mixed global crew, it was explained to me (in fact, by an Aussie) that calling someone a Pom meant that they were pompous *sses.
methinks it dates back to colonial settlement of Australia.
Most of the persons who sailed from England were agitators, thieves, rebels, and political prisoners of the realm. After the American War of Revolution they needed to find somewhere else to dump all of this human deitrius, and along comes the discovery of the Great Southern Land just in time. I read somewhere that POM stands (loosely for) Prisoner Of His Majesty and the term was later used in the colony as a slag for anyone from England in general.
For another history lesson look up the Catalpa incident.Where America sailed to Australia to orchestrate the emancipation of fenian political prisoners from the uprisings.
This amusing anecdote is doubtful as anything more than a fanciful invention, as acronymic origins antedating the mid-twentieth century are automatically suspect, and the use of "pommy" has been recorded at least as far back as 1915. Moreover, nobody has yet turned up corroborating evidence that "Prisoner of His Majesty" or "Prisoners of Mother England" were actually common designations for criminals transported to Australia. The best guess at this time is that "pommy" was based on the word "pomegranate" -- either because the redness of the fruit supposedly matched the typically florid British complexion, or because (like "Johnny Grant") it was used as rhyming slang for "immigrant
I've always associated the use of the word "punter" with Glasgow , and especially Billy Connolly, Danny Kyle and the other Scottish "folkie" comedians of the 70s, as they were the first people I heard using it in this context. There's nothing derogatory or insulting about it. They would use it as referring to the audience, or perhaps what politicians refer to as "the ordinary people" [ a pet hate of mine ].
Unfrozen Caveman Musician
Unfrozen Caveman Musician
Your modern ways and language confuses and scares me. It makes me want to run and hide into the safety of my cave.
Seriously, is there a definition page on this site? Although I have no problem with the typed accents of sort, but I'm not hip to many of the terms used. For instance, if someone were to call me a punter, would I have reason to be upset? Should I put up my dukes or put down my fiddle? (not that I have been called one mind you..........yet!!)
So how about some basics to help me out with my vernacular? I also thought it would be interesting to get some various definitions from around the globe.
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Robby B.
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
Urm...try taking a gander at the book "A Field Guide to The Irish Music Session" by Barry Foy. It's a look at this stuff so complete (including a glossary at the back) that a lot of people think it's total bosh.
Largely, the language of the Irish session is the language of Ireland and the Other Islands Formerly Known As British.
And somewhere...hang on a sec...
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
Aagh. No, there was a thread a while back where we tried to figure out where the term "punter" came from, but I can't hit on the right combo of words to find it...
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
BTW, you were a punter when you were listening in the days before you started playing Grandfather's Klotz!
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
Hey folks - this is wgat the Cambridge Dictionary defines as a "Punter"
punter (CUSTOMER) [Show phonetics]
noun [C] UK INFORMAL
1 a customer; a user of services or buyer of goods:
Many hotels are offering discounts in an attempt to attract punters/pull in the punters.
2 a person who uses the services of a prostitute
I'd be careful who you define a a "punter" if I were you!!
Mike
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by mikemcdaid
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
I gotcha Zina Lee! And here I thought I would have to drop back five yards and you know what!
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Robby B.
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
punt3 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pnt)
intr.v. punt·ed, punt·ing, punts
Games. To lay a bet against the bank, as in roulette.
Chiefly British Slang. To gamble.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[French ponter, from obsolete pont, past participle of pondre, to put (obsolete), to lay an egg, from Old French, to lay an egg, from Latin pnere. See apo- in Indo-European Roots.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
punter n.
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
[Buy it]
punt2 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pnt) Football
n.
A kick in which the ball is dropped from the hands and kicked before it touches the ground.
v. punt·ed, punt·ing, punts
v. tr.
To propel (a ball) by means of a punt.
v. intr.
To execute a punt.
Informal. To cease doing something; give up: Let's punt on this and try something else.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Perhaps from dialectal punt, to strike, push, perhaps alteration of bunt.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
punter n.
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
[Buy it]
punt1 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pnt)
n.
An open flatbottom boat with squared ends, used in shallow waters and usually propelled by a long pole.
v. punt·ed, punt·ing, punts
v. tr.
To propel (a boat) with a pole.
To carry in a punt.
v. intr.
To go in a punt.
[Probably Middle English *punt, from Old English punt, from Latin pont, pontoon, flatbottom boat, from pns, pont-, bridge. See pent- in Indo-European Roots.]
punter n.
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
[Buy it]
punt4 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pnt)
n.
The indentation in the bottom of a champagne or wine bottle.
[Perhaps from punty, iron rod used in glass blowing, probably from French pontil, from pointe, point, from Old French. See point.]
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
[Buy it]
punter
\Punt"er\, n. (London Stock Exchange) A scalper.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
punter
\Punt"er\, n.[Cf. F. ponte. See Punt, v. t.] One who punts; specifically, one who plays against the banker or dealer, as in baccara and faro. --Hoyle.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
punter
\Punt"er\, n. One who punts a football; also, one who propels a punt.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
punter
n 1: someone who propels a boat with a pole 2: (football) a person who kicks the football by dropping it from the hands and contacting it with the foot before it hits the ground 3: someone who bets [syn: bettor, better, wagerer]
Source: WordNet ® 1.6, © 1997 Princeton University
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Robby B.
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
Are you sure that wasn't "propels a *pint*"?!
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
It's the one who lays the bet, or has a punt. In the way we use it, it definitely comes from the gambling world. It has a connotation of haplessnes, and is insulting in that way.
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Ottery
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
Punter just means a geezer. A geezer is a just a yob.
.
.
.
A punter in our context is just someone in the pub, but who is not playing the music, or rather not participating in the session. From its previous usage here my understanding is the emphasis being on a person who is actually listening to what is going on. It seems to be modest session-speak for audience.
But there are also a lot of Americanisms and Aussie-isms used here which I try and interpret as I go and keep reading without coming up for metaphorical air.
So forget all that dictionary p!sh.
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
What aussie-isms?? Actually a friend who is from London told me the other day that we are the only ones in the world to call british people 'Pommies' - I just assumed thats what everyone called you Lads- dont ask me where it comes from but its sort of like calling australian's 'skips' (as in Skippy the bush kangaroo
Hmmm - stubbie is an aussie term as well I think.
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by bb
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
Digger blue sport up a gum tree ocker?
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Greenwiggle
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
Really? When I was in London the first time hanging out in a pub of a mixed global crew, it was explained to me (in fact, by an Aussie) that calling someone a Pom meant that they were pompous *sses.
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Zina Lee
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
methinks it dates back to colonial settlement of Australia.
Most of the persons who sailed from England were agitators, thieves, rebels, and political prisoners of the realm. After the American War of Revolution they needed to find somewhere else to dump all of this human deitrius, and along comes the discovery of the Great Southern Land just in time. I read somewhere that POM stands (loosely for) Prisoner Of His Majesty and the term was later used in the colony as a slag for anyone from England in general.
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Greenwiggle
For another history lesson look up the Catalpa incident.Where America sailed to Australia to orchestrate the emancipation of fenian political prisoners from the uprisings.
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Greenwiggle
Re: Unfrozen Caveman Musician
This amusing anecdote is doubtful as anything more than a fanciful invention, as acronymic origins antedating the mid-twentieth century are automatically suspect, and the use of "pommy" has been recorded at least as far back as 1915. Moreover, nobody has yet turned up corroborating evidence that "Prisoner of His Majesty" or "Prisoners of Mother England" were actually common designations for criminals transported to Australia. The best guess at this time is that "pommy" was based on the word "pomegranate" -- either because the redness of the fruit supposedly matched the typically florid British complexion, or because (like "Johnny Grant") it was used as rhyming slang for "immigrant
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by mikemcdaid
Re: punters
I've always associated the use of the word "punter" with Glasgow , and especially Billy Connolly, Danny Kyle and the other Scottish "folkie" comedians of the 70s, as they were the first people I heard using it in this context. There's nothing derogatory or insulting about it. They would use it as referring to the audience, or perhaps what politicians refer to as "the ordinary people" [ a pet hate of mine ].
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by Kenny
Punter
"punter" could be the modern (more democratic?) equivalent of a planxty; discuss!
# Posted on October 13th 2003 by nastyweegirl