Folklore: Taking the Mickey -- Origins

Subject: RE: Folklore: Taking the Mickey -- Origins
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 15 May 07 - 06:10 PM

The explanation given by The Walrus is pretty much what I have previously heard quoted. I find it more believable than some mythical version of Cockney Rhyming Slang. I have NEVER heard the phrase Mickey Bliss and would reckon that is just something completely fabricated.
Mind you I come from "Up North" where Bradford non-rhyming slang goes "Apples and Pears"= a bag of fruit!
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Taking the Mickey -- Origins
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 15 May 07 - 12:10 AM

Mickey Mouse!


Agghhh!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Taking the Mickey -- Origins
From: Murray on Saltspring
Date: 14 May 07 - 11:52 PM

In Larne, around 1941, my friend referred to his penis as his mickey. It's pet name, something like "bobby" (my own Fife childhood, in the thirties), "Peter", and "John Thomas". Compare "Roger", mostly as a verb, = "have intercourse"; the term was often (significantly enough" applied to a bull.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Taking the Mickey -- Origins
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 14 May 07 - 10:01 PM

AMOS

Your lead (without context), and your following posters have taken a run ... along a far different line...than my understanding in a more TFolk interptretation

aka

Mickey Finn

If you would like chemical/historical information - try to keep this thread "alive" for eight days - I'm ready to slip myself "A Mickey" and will be out until called-upon.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Folklore: Taking the Mickey -- Origins
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 May 07 - 09:42 PM

Goeff the Duck has the last quack on this one.

Quotes from Oxford English Dictionary:
1. to tease. 2. to break the spirit of
"She's a terror. I expect she'll try to take the mickey out of you all right!" (1948)
".... everyone was trying to take the mickey out of him" (1952 ff.)

The penis has nothing to do with the phrase, but 'mickey' is rare slang for a penis. James Joyce, in Selected Letters, 1909: "Gently undo ... the fly of my trousers and gently take out your lover's fat mickey."

A 'mickey' also is short for a Mickey Finn (knockout drops put in a sucker's drink). Supposedly from Finn's saloon (Chicago).

Subject: RE: Folklore: Taking the Mickey -- Origins
From: The Walrus
Date: 14 May 07 - 08:52 PM

The phrase owes its origins to the terms "Piss proud" and the command "piss off".

"Piss Proud" is defined by Francis Grose* as "Having a false erection" (from pressure in the bladder). This phrase was used (possibly later) to define one who would 'over inflate' their importance or actions, leading to the instruction to "piss off", effectively a statement that the listeners didn't believe the tale and that the speaker should stop acting so self important.
From this we can easily equate "to take the piss out of someone" to be the action of reducing pride (pomposity pricked).
To give the phrase a faux politeness it is a short step to "take the micturition" (or "take the micturate"), in turn shortend to "Take the mickey".

At least that's the tale I got it

Walrus


* Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Taking the Mickey -- Origins
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 13 May 07 - 09:12 PM

Sorry to be anal about matters urethral, but one who micturates commits the act of micturition, with an "i".

Subject: RE: Folklore: Taking the Mickey -- Origins
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 13 May 07 - 07:08 PM

The link above takes us to someone who clearly does not know much about the phrase as he/she/it misses half of the phrase.
It is "to take the piss out of someone".
I may get back to this thread later.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Taking the Mickey -- Origins
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 May 07 - 05:41 PM

For further info: click ...not much more in answers, though!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Taking the Mcikey -- Origins
From: GUEST,Canadienne
Date: 13 May 07 - 05:32 PM

it's an abbreviated form of "micturation" Amos - are you sure you're not taking the piss?

Subject: Folklore: Taking the Mcikey -- Origins
From: Amos
Date: 13 May 07 - 05:30 PM

There is a theory that the expression "to take the mickey" -- to make fun of -- is derived by rhyming slang from "take the mickey bliss"<=="take the piss".

Does anyone have any evidence in support of this notion? I have no idea what "mickey bliss" means. is it a known phrase in UK slang? Any idea where it comes from?

And does the expression bear any relation to the reputation of the Irish as fast talkers?

A