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Joined: Jan 2001
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Pooh-Bah
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"extracting the michael"

And we all know how painful that can be.

*rimshot*

Seriously, extracting the michael? Whaaat?


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But what did Michael do??


Are there two posts from me here. I can't see two on my end but the first one just up and disappeared by itself.



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But what did Michael do??

He's alleged to have rowed a boat ashore in some fairy tale or other...


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At the risk of offending US'ns on the board: When I was working on a macadamia nut plantation in Oz, there was one bloke in the nursery who used to talk to me in a US accent. I'd then adopt a US accent to reply....This went on for a few days before one of the other women said to me, "I'm sorry, Ian's such an asshole, making fun of your accent like that." I said, "He's making fun of my accent? I thought we were both making fun of American accents!" What he was doing was definitely not Canajun, eh. - On a similar topic: I managed to pick up a few Australianisms, but.


#61418 04/17/02 03:53 PM
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Taking the Michael (mav)
But what did Michael do?? (belM)

Michael didn't do owt, lass - the "Mick" in the expression I used is, so I am led to believe, a shortening of "micturation"

Whilst "teasing" is a fair enough translation of the phrase, another one is, "poking fun at."


#61419 04/18/02 01:47 AM
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Whilst "teasing" is a fair enough translation of the phrase, another one is, "poking fun at."

But it's so much more than that. "Taking the Mick" implies an element of gullibility on behalf of the Takee and intent by the Taker to string along the Takee for as long as possible. It suggests sarcasm. It is not...

"What were you thinking wearing that bad Hawaiian shirt?"

It's more like...

"Love the shirt, mate. Where did you get it? How much was it? Wow, that's cheap. I might have to get one myself. Bet the missus loves it. You should wear it to work one day." Ad nauseum (or ad nauseam if you prefer).


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yup - down here in Oz, "creasing yourself" is a very common phrase - and it generally means being very amused indeed - I like Bingley's allusion to laughing so much that you bend double.
Also - "taking the mickey" is probably even more common here although I have no idea of it's origin. I am fascinated by the the "micturation" suggestion, but can't relate bladder contractions to sarcasm. Well, not easily anyway. . . .
An equivalent (albeit less common) slang phrase to "taking the mick" is "having a lend of", as in "Do you really like my Hawaiian shirt or are you having a lend of me?"


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can't relate bladder contractions to sarcasm

taking the mick >>
      taking the micturation >>

            taking the piss

http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-tak2.htm


Or rhyming slang, via Mickey Bliss = Piss....?

http://www.londonslang.com/db/m/


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I'd definitely go for the rhyming slang option; the 'mick' in 'taking the mick' is jus short for 'Mickey'.

BTW, I like the 'extracting the michael' variation


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Got to be the rhyming slang option -

Never heard 'having a lend of' before, but there's another one that I have heard which is 'pulling your chain' as in 'don't take any notice of him, he's just pulling your chain'

Anyone know any other alternatives?


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