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#8245 10/26/00 11:38 PM
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enthusiast
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I have just realised that an English expression for left-handers, which I will render as 'cacky-whiffy', is a phrase I have never seen on paper. Can someone elucidate?

mav,

This appears to be an even more derogatory insult than the "cack-handed" whence it apparently sprang. "Cack" is British/Australian slang for rubbish or excrement (I certainly have heard and used the term "bird cack" in my time) and "cack-handed" is slang for awkward, and thence, apparently left-handed (cf similar usage of French word for left "gauche" for awkward).

See http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/c.htm
cack-handed also rated a mention in one of our threads here from July: http://wordsmith.org/board/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=3028

"whiffy" is cited at the same slang site as meaning "smelling unpleasant".

I'm sure you get the drift.


#8246 10/27/00 12:32 AM
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Carpal Tunnel
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>>underemployed

>Potential awadeers then!


Ain't it the truth, Jo....


#8247 10/27/00 08:44 AM
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old hand
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and has it advanced the tide of human wit or imagination
It may sound fatalistic, but this tide advances all by itself!


#8248 10/27/00 11:55 AM
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get the drift

Thanks for that, Marty; it's a handy link (I've stored in my YCLIU list on a Word file for future reference).

As for the drift, well I learnt to be relaxed about that soon after getting rapped across my 6-year old knuckles by a teacher screaming:

"Ambidextrous?!? You can't even spell it!!"

So instead of writing equally badly with two paws, I concentrated on blotting my copy book with just one


#8249 03/11/03 01:01 PM
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I just found this old thread, and brought it back up because 1.) it touches on several things we've discussed recently, and 2.) it's so much fun to read!


#8250 03/17/03 12:02 PM
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Pooh-Bah
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Huh!

I got quite excited initially seeing so many names to posts who haven't been around for dunnamany months. Then I looked at the dates on the posts. Jackie, good thread, but hey, look out for my heart why doncha?

- Pfranz

#8251 03/18/03 02:56 AM
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I try, Sweet One! :-)


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