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16 Aug 06 - 10:38 PM (#1811831) Subject: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: jeffp Another thread has established my father as a source for the term, "WHOGABRA," meaning "Who gives a big rats ass?" I'll ask him if he remembers where he got that from. Could be fun tracking down the origin. My question to Peace is, "Where did you find a reference?" And to the rest of you, any ideas of the history of this cryptic rejoinder? |
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16 Aug 06 - 10:58 PM (#1811854) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: Peace The reference wasn't to your father, Jeff. I remarked that I had to use the internet to Google the term WHOGABRA to see hat it meant. I could find few references, and you having said that your dad had told it to you--well, I remarked that it must be his expression. Sorry for the misunderstanding. However, maybe it WAS his expression. Let's look. |
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16 Aug 06 - 11:00 PM (#1811857) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: Peace The earliest references seem to be fairly recent. (Last few years.) |
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16 Aug 06 - 11:03 PM (#1811863) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: jeffp I'll have to check with him. He's 82, and I must have been under 20 when I heard it from him, so that would be 30+ years ago right there. Could be fun looking into it. You never know where these things may lead. |
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16 Aug 06 - 11:07 PM (#1811867) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: Peace I think it would be lots of fun. Let's do it. See if your dad recalls. I'll mark this thread. Have to get for now. Later. |
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16 Aug 06 - 11:18 PM (#1811882) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: catspaw49 Well,ya' got my attention anyway. I love this kind of stuff. I'm not on much right now but I'll be looking in and looking for this one.......What the hell, ya' know? Whogabra......... Spaw |
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17 Aug 06 - 04:41 AM (#1812032) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: John MacKenzie It's the man that invented ALGEBRA that I want to get hold of, the bastard caused my a load of grief in school! G. |
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17 Aug 06 - 05:03 AM (#1812043) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: Paul Burke Tough, Al Khwarizmi died about 850AD. |
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17 Aug 06 - 05:13 AM (#1812050) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: John MacKenzie I didn't start school till 0900, that's why I missed him! G |
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17 Aug 06 - 08:08 AM (#1812148) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: MMario The phrase was current in my high school in the late 60's, early 70's; and we were a backwater. So it must have been around for a while before that, or else someone on a popular TV show used it. |
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17 Aug 06 - 08:24 AM (#1812167) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: skipy Giok, you are over 4000 years too late! Skipy |
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17 Aug 06 - 01:17 PM (#1812363) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: Ebbie But in geologic time that isn't a long time as fossils go. *G* |
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17 Aug 06 - 03:23 PM (#1812442) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: Peace OK. So the thingy is back to the 1960s now. |
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17 Aug 06 - 03:24 PM (#1812445) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: Peace BTW, Giok. I will not remark on Ebbie's comment. But man oh man, that gal is insightful, isn't she? |
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17 Aug 06 - 04:13 PM (#1812471) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: John MacKenzie I've met the lady in question Bruce, so I refrain from further comment! G. |
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17 Aug 06 - 07:26 PM (#1812608) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: jeffp Anyway, back to the original subject of the thread (really? how gauche!). I talked to Dad and he learned it from a guy at work back in the mid 70s. We were living in suburban Maryland, he was working for a company in Northern Virginia and working on a project in Washington, DC. He was able to narrow it down between July 1974 and October 1975. He actually had some sort of records near at hand because he looked it up and called me back. |
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18 Aug 06 - 08:04 AM (#1812915) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: Mr Red I made a T-shirt with WGASA on it. The news clip I saved read to the effect - "a street name in a Californian Zoo got left off the decision process so the draftsman wrote wgasa drive instead - and - so the myth perpetuates - they made the sign and people asked and asked ......" of course it must be true I read it in the newspaper. |
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21 May 14 - 09:48 PM (#3627585) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: GUEST,A former Army officer In 1974, in my unit in Germany, WHOGABRA was used as "Who gives a big rat's ass" for the motto of the CPA - the "Captain's Protective Association" |
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22 May 14 - 02:53 PM (#3627688) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: GUEST,Eliza I quite like NORWICH, which servicemen overseas put on their envelopes. It's Nickers Off Ready When I Come Home. (but they obviously couldn't spell knickers!) |
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22 May 14 - 06:50 PM (#3627719) Subject: RE: Folklore: WHOGABRA From: GUEST,Patsy I remember NORWICH and also ITALY (I trust and love you), which I suspect some maidens have ended up regretting! |