Wednesday, 12 September 2012

Puerile, infantile, childish. So what?

I was monumentally bored last night and was suffering from the worst migraine I've had in years. I decided to find something photographic to occupy myself and after some faffing about found a tin of alphabetti spaghetti in the cupboard. I'd tried using alphabetti spaghetti before, using it to spell out rude words on a spoon. These were actually the only time I've ever sold prints of my photos, making the princely sum of £25 in Dublin 2011 for five prints. This time I decided to work on Belfast slang and knocked out a few, and then started taking requests on Facebook for some others. This was quite enjoyable and after a couple of hours of taking and posting pics, the migraine had gone. I also discovered that my tin of Tesco alphabetti spaghetti had only one letter "G" in it.


Yer ma - as in your mother. Originally used as the precursor to an insult about someone's mother, such as "Yer ma's so fat when she goes to the pictures she sits next to everybody." The whole process has now been shortened and abbreviated to simply "yer ma" and the recipient is required to fill in the rest of the insult themselves.


An anatomical reference to your bottom, as in "did you go on yer hoop?" to inquire if someone had fallen. See below.


Also anatomical and referring to the same place, except used to express surprise or disbelief. Much favoured by Uncle Colin. For example, if someone were to state something improbable, one would reply immediately "yer hole." Or in Uncle Colin's case he would say "with all due respect Martin, yer hole."


Popularised by Father Ted, and in particular Father Jack Hackett. Used to replace the much ruder f-word in polite company. Apparently can also meant to steal or to thieve in some sections of Irish society.


Also popularised by Father Jack Hackett, referring to the same part of the body as hoop and hole, although tends to refer more to the whole package rather than the orifice itself.


Again anatomical and referring to the testes or testicles. Can be used as an exclamation of surprise or disappointment or as an adjective to describe something that doesn't quite come up to scratch, as in "that's a load of balls."


The scrotum; used to described an unsavoury chap or gentleman of despicable personal habits. Depending on pronunciation it can also be "ballbeg." For example, "yer man is a right wee ballbeg."


Usually prefaced by an apostrophe as in "bout ye. A widely used and generic form of greeting.


Peculiar to Northern Ireland, with it's roots in Ulster Scots and meaning to be embarrassed, sickened or affronted, as in "I was pure scundered when that wee ballbeg asked me out."


Generic term for a male of any size, usually based on his age rather than his size, although the term "big lad" tends to creep in with anyone over 5' 10" tall regardless of age.

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