What do you think of the advice,
"It's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide" ???

I followed a wonderful British-American thread on Blurt yesterday, discussing "Two nations - divided by a common language," which made me think of this British saying from the classics of Ask.com. 

It dates from British author Margery Allingham, her 1938 mystery novel THE FASHION IN SHROUDS. This staple of the Queen's English is now enshrined in the Yale Book of Quotations, as well as MAD Magazine 1950's.

So what do you think of this advice, would you heed it?

5

5 Answers

Didge Doo Profile
Didge Doo answered

I remember the question from Ask. I had to do a bit of a search to remember the interpretation.

Crackers was obvious and still in use. It's just crazy. A Rozzer, as anybody who watches BBC TV will know is a Peeler. That just left dropsy and snide to look up and they don't apply in the land down under.

Why not?

Our Rozzers want their dropsy electronically. If you bribe a cop in Oz you hand him your credit card which, if valid, will never be snide; Of course, if the rate of dropsy is too high, it might easily max out. And that would be crackers, indeed.


Janis Haskell Profile
Janis Haskell answered

I think it's very wise advice ... Unless one truly wants to make a bad situation worse! :)

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Virginia Lou
Virginia Lou commented
anis, I was thinking about your answer...and that is just what MAD Magazine told its readers in the 1950's when they were pleading for the translation, "it's very good advice."

No Google then, and MAD never disclosed the meaning.
Janis Haskell
Janis Haskell commented
Wow, Virginia .... I'm honored to share the wisdom of MAD !! :)
Virginia Lou
Virginia Lou commented
Oh Janis....so funny...yes, honored...as indeed we all should be...
Yin And Yang Profile
Yin And Yang answered

My friend, with where my mind is today I wouldn't even begin to know where to pretend to come up with an answer. But I love ya and don't want you feeling worried like in the chat so the only thing my mind saw was a couple hunched over trying to give each other a kiss but their walkers got in the way. Now THAT my mind would wrap around right now! Ain't it ironic how the things that are suppose to support us keep us from the kisses of the one we love? DITCH THE WALKERS GUYS! KISS KISS ALL YOU CAN! Don't let anything get in between!

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Yin And Yang
Yin And Yang commented
I think it's a brilliant idea! Post a picture when done!
Virginia Lou
Virginia Lou commented
Y&Y, I am just really certain THAT is the (other) meaning for the British sentence...it's just perfect, thank you
Yin And Yang
Yin And Yang commented
My friend! Anytime! ☺😄
I think it's good advice in any dialect!
Ray  Dart Profile
Ray Dart answered

On a slightly different tack. An expression, using Cockney rhyming slang, appeared in (almost) common usage a few years ago.

Can you sausage a Gregory?

sausage = sausage and mash = cash

Gregory = Gregory Peck = cheque

Can you cash me a cheque?

There are a load of other similar expressions, that come (and go almost as quickly).

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