il_serpente Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 2 hours ago, sidcow said: Who invented English huh? The clue is in the name. If we say it's a syrupy non alcoholic fruit drink no one has an argument. Nice one! You're aware of the etymology of the term, no? From Renaissance medicine that was invigorating and pleasant to consume, with the name derived from latin cordialis (of the heart). From Wikipedia: "The first cordials arrived in England in the late 15th century and were called distilled cordial waters. These were strictly used as alcoholic medicines, prescribed in small doses to invigorate and revitalise the heart, body and spirit as well as cure diseases. By the 18th century cordials were being imbibed for their intoxicating effects and medicinal virtues, and were fast becoming recreational drinks, eventually evolving into liqueurs." So you Brits got hold of an invigorating alcoholic drink and asked (as you've apparently done with most food as well), "What can we do to make this more bland?" and proceeded to eliminate the alcohol. And you say we're wrong for keeping the original meaning of the term? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 4 minutes ago, mjmooney said: We have one in our house. You have servants quarters too?! (I'd keep that in the down low in the current climate ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 1 hour ago, lapal_fan said: Look in a mirror when you're eating lunch, then you'll see. I mean, what did you have? Halftime Honk?l Classroom clang? Plum. 1 hour ago, bickster said: The bell that sounds at the end of morning lessons that signifies its DINNER TIME Don't tell us you were deprived of the sheer pleasure of hearing the Dinner Bell, teachers knew the rules, if the bell goes, you've completely lost the attention of the class. It was very closely followed by much hubub and the scraping of desks and chairs on the floor. An hour of freedom beckoned We had a bell. That went at the end of lessons and at the start and end of lunch. Nobody called it a dinner bell though. It was just the bell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 42 minutes ago, il_serpente said: Nice one! You're aware of the etymology of the term, no? From Renaissance medicine that was invigorating and pleasant to consume, with the name derived from latin cordialis (of the heart). From Wikipedia: "The first cordials arrived in England in the late 15th century and were called distilled cordial waters. These were strictly used as alcoholic medicines, prescribed in small doses to invigorate and revitalise the heart, body and spirit as well as cure diseases. By the 18th century cordials were being imbibed for their intoxicating effects and medicinal virtues, and were fast becoming recreational drinks, eventually evolving into liqueurs." So you Brits got hold of an invigorating alcoholic drink and asked (as you've apparently done with most food as well), "What can we do to make this more bland?" and proceeded to eliminate the alcohol. And you say we're wrong for keeping the original meaning of the term? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted June 11, 2020 Moderator Share Posted June 11, 2020 2 minutes ago, Stevo985 said: We had a bell. That went at the end of lessons and at the start and end of lunch. Nobody called it a dinner bell though. It was just the bell. The dinner bell rang longer, so it was the dinner bell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 50 minutes ago, mjmooney said: We have one in our house. I'm gonna get me one of those. So sick of shouting at the kids in their bedrooms to come down for dinner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Silvers Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 3 minutes ago, sidcow said: I'm gonna get me one of those. So sick of shouting at the kids in their bedrooms to come down for dinner. you know what I'm sayin!, my man likes his wooden spoons too and check out that ladle, he's serious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sid4ever Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 7 minutes ago, bickster said: The dinner bell rang longer, so it was the dinner bell Aah, our lunch bell went 4 times, dinner bell went 5 times, breakfast bell went 3 times and wake up alarm was 6 bells, probably the same at any private boarding school. And after dinner it was prep time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam-AVFC Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Sid4ever said: Aah, our lunch bell went 4 times, dinner bell went 5 times, breakfast bell went 3 times and wake up alarm was 6 bells, probably the same at any private boarding school. And after dinner it was prep time. I can imagine everyone sitting in class at 12:30 on tenterhooks having heard 3 rings just waiting to see if the bell will ring again or it's time for breakfast I went to a boarding school but the bastards made us wake ourselves up. Come to think of it I can't remember a bell at all. We must have had one though. Edited June 11, 2020 by Sam-AVFC 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 22 minutes ago, bickster said: The dinner bell rang longer, so it was the dinner bell Did you go to a blind school? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 8 hours ago, mjmooney said: One for the confessions thread: I've never had a school dinner. Not one. At primary school, I lived close enough to go home for lunch. When I went to grammar school, I was a notoriously slow eater, and my Mum was convinced I'd never get enough food down in me in the mad rush of the two-sittings school dinner hall, so I took a packed lunch instead. I was similar, though I did have school dinners for a while apparently I would eat mince beef one grain at a time and eventually the dinner ladies told my Mum it wasn't worth me having them as I'd get through about 1/10th of a plate in an hour. I'd then chew the cuff of my jumper for the rest of the school day because I was hungry. It's amazing to think how small my brain must have been back then. I'm still a slow eater but I've got a small mouth so can't help that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 1 minute ago, Sam-AVFC said: I can imagine everyone sitting in class at 12:30 on tenterhooks having heard 3 rings just waiting to see if the bell will ring again or it's time for breakfast Exactly Surely you know it's the lunch bell because you are aware that it is coming up to lunchtime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sid4ever Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 Just now, Sam-AVFC said: I went to a boarding school but the bastards made us wake ourselves up. Oh no prefect of the day job to wake the school up. Only time that you could be alone with a female at times until the headmaster realised what was going on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted June 11, 2020 Moderator Share Posted June 11, 2020 1 minute ago, Stevo985 said: Did you go to a blind school? There were many things that happenned at school back then that made no sense, you usually found out that someone once thought it was a good idea and no one thought to change it The world was different back then. The head of music used to teach sat at a piano, with a glass of whisky per lesson and smoked fags as he was playing. First lesson or lst, didn't matter Oh and woodwork teachers were always former concentration camps guards or if they weren't would have gladly done the job 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 46 minutes ago, lapal_fan said: You have servants quarters too?! (I'd keep that in the down low in the current climate ) Not sure if I should be admitting this but my grandparents on my mother's side lived in a very large house in Wake Green Road, Moseley and had a housekeeper and a gardener. My wife has reminded me more than once in an astonished voice that my grandparents had servants. The housekeeper was the most frightening, very large, hairy woman who made me scream as a child (I was in permanent fear of her as a child) when she found me destroying a soap bar in the bathroom, which for some reason I used to take great delight in doing. My dad who is a complete nutter used to literally chase her round the house with a feather duster which he called a tickling stick whilst she squealed with mock terror. He tried to hand the batton onto me but I was still terrified of her, plus it's obviously just wrong. Also she would drop the mock laughter and glare at me weakening my bladder once again making me feel 5 years old again. I know this sounds like some weird Downton Abbey inspired dream but it's completely true. Being one of 3 brothers plus father in the house I have a very vivid memory of my mother crying whilst scrubbing the bathroom floorboards which were soaked in piss from 3 young boys and 1 mostly pissed up man (probably chief suspect in this scenario) constantly missing the toilet pan. As someone who grew up with a cleaner I understand now she was probably wondering where her life had gone wrong. Looking back now that housekeeper was probably one of the very last of those who went into service into middle class households. It was quite common until the 1950's which I would guess would be when she started. My mum and dad were left money in Grandads will to giver her an annual Christmas bonus till she died. By way of background my Grandad was a surgeon and had quite an obituary when he died, he pioneered a lot of stuff including getting people up and about quickly after surgery, the old way was to keep them still as possible in bed for as long as possible which is now understood to be the worst thing you could do. In my loft I have his medical box from the second world war where he was a flying doctor. It contains lots of bottles of (hopefully dried up) stuff which is probably now illegal to own. Here ends my Thursday night confession. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
il_serpente Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 1 hour ago, sidcow said: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 3 minutes ago, il_serpente said: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted June 11, 2020 Moderator Share Posted June 11, 2020 1 hour ago, il_serpente said: Nice one! You're aware of the etymology of the term, no? From Renaissance medicine that was invigorating and pleasant to consume, with the name derived from latin cordialis (of the heart). From Wikipedia: "The first cordials arrived in England in the late 15th century and were called distilled cordial waters. These were strictly used as alcoholic medicines, prescribed in small doses to invigorate and revitalise the heart, body and spirit as well as cure diseases. By the 18th century cordials were being imbibed for their intoxicating effects and medicinal virtues, and were fast becoming recreational drinks, eventually evolving into liqueurs." So you Brits got hold of an invigorating alcoholic drink and asked (as you've apparently done with most food as well), "What can we do to make this more bland?" and proceeded to eliminate the alcohol. And you say we're wrong for keeping the original meaning of the term? This isn't particularly correct. Just saying... It's derivation is correct but its first usage predates the 1610 usage by some 250 years. Alcohol also not required Quote The noun meaning "something that invigorates" is from late 14c., originally "medicine, food, or drink that stimulates the heart." Meaning "sweet or aromatic liquor" is from 1610s Etymology Online Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrusr Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 1 hour ago, Sid4ever said: And after dinner it was prep time. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
il_serpente Posted June 11, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2020 1 hour ago, bickster said: This isn't particularly correct. Just saying... It's derivation is correct but its first usage predates the 1610 usage by some 250 years. Alcohol also not required Etymology Online 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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