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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692 |
When I was a kid, if asked by an adult what we were up to, the answer would frequently be "Oh, just swanning about." I suspect that this referred to the way that swans move around on a lake or river in an appararently aimless fashion.
dxb
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Joined: Oct 2000
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veteran
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veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
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"Oh, just swanning about." I suspect that this referred to the way that swans move around on a lake or river in an appararently aimless fashion
My first association, too. Is "swanning around/about" unknown over the Pond, then?
Also can imply a certain haughtiness, by the way - slightly "nose in the air".
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
paulb told me about Somebody & Swan, a comedy team. (Sorry I can't recall t'other half.) Could you say it again, please?
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
You must be thinking of that great songwriting team Flanders & Swan.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
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Yup. Swan was the other one's gangster girlfriend. Also known as the Moll of Flanders.
TEd
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Flanders & Swan can *still be heard on NPR's Weekend Radio. In fact we heard them yesterday. 
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692 |
Sadly, Donald Swann died in 1994 at the age of seventy.
dxb
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771 |
I just finished Lost by Gregory Maguire at 3:30 this morning... why can't I sleep? and in the last few pages found a usage that seems to agree with your assessment, Shona.
"Winnie didn't like the class system of the ghostly world. No more than she liked these living rich rich people who smelled like attar of heirloom roses as they went swanning by."
It's a completely different usage than what we're talking about, but I find it very evocative!
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Joined: Nov 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
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Gotta' go along with the "swan" idea.
"I swan" used by old timers here in New England to express amazement ... to denote more than surprise. Think I will take it up, see if it can be popularized hereabouts once again! I swan. Love it. Thanks of Troy ! Something new to do!
P.S. Just realized I made Carpal. Well, I swan!
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Joined: Nov 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146 |
I'm a gnu, I'm a gnu, I'm the only one that they've got in the zoo ... so follow me, follow. Down to the hollow. And there let us wallow in g-l-o-o-o-o-o-o-r-i-u-s mud! Just swanning about in Flanders ... 
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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