Last night, Mr. Bates called Jimmy a "big girl's blouse", a British English term for a feeble or cowardly man. The OED's earliest quotation for this is from 1969. Hearing it used in the 1920s was as jarring for me as if Lady Mary had suddenly turned up dressed like this:
For more linguistic anachronisms in Downton, see this post.
Interesting that in "Ruddigore" when Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd announces himself his servant sings, "And I, his loyal vallee-de-sham".
ReplyDeleteThere is also the British use of "nevvy" for nephew, which retains the v of the French neveu...
In G&S's "Ruddigore" Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd's servant announces himself as "I, his loyal vallee-de-sham" which clings to a bit of the French.
ReplyDeleteRelated might be the old British "nevvy" for nephew, which retains the v of the French neveu.