# What’s your favourite saying- and what does it mean?



## StevSmar (Nov 4, 2022)

Now that I’ve been in Canada for 26 years (nearly half my life…), I’m having trouble knowing whether the saying I’ve just used is Canadian or Australian… Usually a blank stare is my first hint of it being non-Canadian…

I love sayings, and it’s hard to pick a favourite. But for the sake of this thread I’ll say it’s:

”All over the place like a mad dogs breakfast”- which means “busy” (I actually think it means “so busy that all I do is make a mess”)

Anyone else, or is this thread going to go down like a wrought iron hangglider?


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## Downwindtracker2 (Nov 4, 2022)

As a millwright who worked down stream of machinists and welders "If you can't make it right, at least make it adjustable."


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## Canadium (Nov 4, 2022)

What do I know!

Eh?

Pop


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## LenVW (Nov 4, 2022)

I have worked in Europe, Oceania, the US and across Canada.
To be Canadian means to share your style, experiences and dialect with the people you meet.
My wife always asks me how I can start conversations with strangers in the airport. I just tell her that a little communication puts people at ease and if you share some info with another person they will do the same with you.
Knowing a little about each other leads to more conversation. 

Canadians like to talk and share experiences.
*
*


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## trlvn (Nov 4, 2022)

English is a hell of a language!

A You-tuber that I watch is from somewhere in the US north-east and he came out with an expression that I'd never heard before...

Catty-wumpus.

I think some people also say 'kitty-wumpus'.

It wasn't hard to figure out from the context but I actually replayed that bit of video just in case my audio had broken up at that point!



Craig


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## Doggggboy (Nov 4, 2022)

I'm sure most of you Alberta guys have heard this one...
All hat, no cattle.
I think it originally referred to the dudes at the western bar who obviously didn't ever leave the city.


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## 6.5 Fan (Nov 4, 2022)

Jeeez, i haven't heard or used catty-wumpas in a long time, kind of along the same line as ass over tea kettle


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## Susquatch (Nov 4, 2022)

In the theme of your first post........ 

Busy as ants on a hot chocolate bar. 

Keep your panties on there hot stuff. 

FO. I'm too busy drowning right now. 

If you want to help then shut up and get your hands dirty. Otherwise get lost. 

Those that can do, the rest teach. 

Never let what you can't do get in the way of doing what you can. (I bet I've used that one on here before). 

Nuff for today. I have some sleeping to do.


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## DPittman (Nov 4, 2022)

Not sure it's Canadian but it's universal...
"You can't fix stupid"


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## whydontu (Nov 4, 2022)

Susquatch said:


> In the theme of your first post........
> 
> Busy as ants on a hot chocolate bar.
> 
> ...


you missed the extension to “those that can do, the rest teach” .

Those that can do, those that can’t teach, those that can’t teach teach PE


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## Dabbler (Nov 4, 2022)

Everyone will tell you the right way.  And they are all different.

It has been a go-to phrase when someone tells me something like it is the only thing to do...


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## cjmac (Nov 4, 2022)

The line I probably use most often is "How hard can it be?" Sometimes I'm being really optimistic when I say it.

Chris


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## David_R8 (Nov 4, 2022)

Apparently I say "Piece of cake" a lot. Particularly when my in-laws ask if I can do such and such. My response is almost always, "Sure, piece of cake" No idea where I picked up the expression.


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## Canadium (Nov 5, 2022)

Catch 22

borrowed from the aussies "Bobby dazzler"


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## thestelster (Nov 5, 2022)

I tend to often use the words: cool; man; eh.
 Sometimes all together like, "Hey man. How cool was that, eh?"


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## combustable herbage (Nov 5, 2022)

What's the worst that could happen?

Anticipate everything but expect nothing. 

Bob's your uncle  (means everything is good or worked out.)


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## Susquatch (Nov 5, 2022)

This problem too will be simple when solved. 

Many an impossible thing has been done by someone who didn't know it. 

What moron designed this?

Yes dear.


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## combustable herbage (Nov 5, 2022)

Susquatch said:


> Yes dear.


What’s your `favourite` saying?????​


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## little ol' e (Nov 5, 2022)

I have a habit of saying "put-r-ther" , so bad that I had to get the plate to match


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## little ol' e (Nov 5, 2022)

My wife says at times... well quite often haha. " I've had just about anuf of you today...
So I had to get her a plate as well
Oh, and she's parked in my spot!!


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## Susquatch (Nov 5, 2022)

little ol' e said:


> I have a habit of saying "put-r-ther" , so bad that I had to get the plate to match


That's hilarious on sooooo many levels! Your plate says Putrther, but the plate in your avatar says "ANUFSAID". Who has two personal plates? What would the police say if they pulled you over?


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## little ol' e (Nov 5, 2022)

Well, after several speeding tickets, a couple cops have said...  I need a plate that says slow down, but, my reply always is.. I can only pick 8 letters.
The "ANUFSAID" just goes out to a few car shows, ice cream and the odd drive in.


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## Susquatch (Nov 5, 2022)

combustable herbage said:


> What’s your favourite saying?????​



That's not the assignment I thought we were given.... 

Even the OP gave several. For whatever reason, I thought it was Popular Canadian Sayings. 

If "Yes Dear" isn't a Popular Canadian Saying in your house, then I'll pay you to give me private lessons..... 




StevSmar said:


> Now that I’ve been in Canada for 26 years (nearly half my life…), I’m having trouble knowing whether the saying I’ve just used is Canadian or Australian… Usually a blank stare is my first hint of it being non-Canadian…


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## little ol' e (Nov 5, 2022)

Susquatch said:


> If "Yes Dear" isn't a Popular Canadian Saying in your house, then I'll pay you to give me private lessons.....



Sign me up please. I'll need a senior discount thou!


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## 140mower (Nov 5, 2022)

When I find myself doing something particularly stupid, I say to myself " and the coroner's report said....." It's often enough for me to reconsider.


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## Dan Dubeau (Nov 5, 2022)

I have a few that can't be typed here.....


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## DPittman (Nov 5, 2022)

140mower said:


> When I find myself doing something particularly stupid, I say to myself " and the coroner's report said....." It's often enough for me to reconsider.


Oh man I like that one and unfortunately find it appropriate for myself sometimes.  
I've been been wanting to start a thread " Stupid thing I did" but haven't had the guts to cuz I know I would have to show some of my true colors too.


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## phaxtris (Nov 5, 2022)

there's more than one way to skin a cat....i use it to try to remind myself and others to be open minded, just because you have been doing it one way for years doesn't mean its the best or only way

and

Vámonos muchachos! ..... because its a more fun way of saying 'lets get the f outta here!' (usually at home time)


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## DPittman (Nov 5, 2022)

phaxtris said:


> there's more than one way to skin a cat....i use it to try to remind myself and others to be open minded, just because you have been doing it one way for years doesn't mean its the best or only way
> 
> and
> 
> Vámonos muchachos! ..... because its a more fun way of saying 'lets get the f outta here!' (usually at home time)


He hee I had to go and get google translate to show me how to pronunciate that and now I'm practicing.


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## historicalarms (Nov 5, 2022)

Probably need to have a farm background to understand the inflection in this that I use often when coming in from a busy hour or two in the shop or yard...  " Well Ma, Im like the old sow in the boar pen...I've had NUF NUF NUF"


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## Dabbler (Nov 5, 2022)

Another one I use a lot:  "Trust but verify"


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## Canadium (Nov 5, 2022)

I like to refer to myself and others of my generation as "Old Farts"

and if I'm vexed by someone I'm apt to reply with "What dy'a want already?"


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## Dan Dubeau (Nov 5, 2022)

phaxtris said:


> there's more than one way to skin a cat....


An old guy I used to work with years ago had a variation of that....

"There's, more than one way to F*&K the cat.  Stop f*&king the dog, get over here and just F*&K the cat".

Meaning, I don't care how you do it, just get it done.  He was a real wordsmith.......I chuckle ever time I have a shitty job that I just have to put my head down and get done, and all I think is "just F*&k this cat and get it over with" lol.


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## Susquatch (Nov 5, 2022)

Dabbler said:


> Another one I use a lot:  "Trust but verify"



I similar one of mine is: "Trust is earned - not given."


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## gerritv (Nov 5, 2022)

It's not what you earn, it's what you keep that counts

Don't confuse activity with progress


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## Tom O (Nov 5, 2022)

I always thought “ Here’s Your Sign “ was going to catch on!
Dad’s was “ Cheer up you’ll soon be dead. “


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## Janger (Nov 5, 2022)

an old boss used to say "get r done" a lot.

A relative of Kevin Descelles says "What could possibly go wrong?!". I like that one.


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## whydontu (Nov 5, 2022)

my best boss always said “nothing good will come of this”, usually when I was suggesting some wild-ass solution to a problem


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## Chicken lights (Nov 5, 2022)

Janger said:


> A relative of Kevin Descelles says "What could possibly go wrong?!". I like that one.


The easiest way to answer that question, is to get after it, you usually find out pretty fast 

The other side of that coin, is when old guys warn you of your impending stupidity, go ahead and do it anyway. Gives the old boys a good chuckle to know they was right, when you regale them tales of said stupidity going sideways


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## YotaBota (Nov 5, 2022)

"I'd never do anything that stupid" , usually said after seeing someone do something stupid that I've done once before,,,,,,,, or maybe twice.


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## 140mower (Nov 5, 2022)

....... And no good deed goes unpunished. 
 Of course I am pretty sure we have all " gone a$$ over tea kettle" a time or two....


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## little ol' e (Nov 5, 2022)

whydontu said:


> my best boss always said “nothing good will come of this”, usually when I was suggesting some wild-ass solution to a problem



 When I was an apprentice tool maker, coming in on a Saturday mornin' hung over along with jet lag from the twin paper rockets we'd make. I was told on occasion, " if your not part of the solution then your part of the problem". 
I was never good with Die tryouts on a Saturday morning in an 800T press.


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## StevSmar (Nov 5, 2022)

“This has been a great opportunity for improvement”… normally said after something has gone wrong.

I would sometimes get stares of incomprehension when I used the expression “busier than a blue arsed fly”…
I was talking to a fellow from out east and he said that his expression is similar but adds further context “busier than a green arsed fly around a piece of shit” which is certainly easier to comprehend.
I get a chuckle that that the arses of the flies in Australia were blue, but in Canada they were green…


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## YotaBota (Nov 5, 2022)

140mower said:


> " and the coroner's report said....."


sometimes preceded by "hold my beer" or "watch this"


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## 140mower (Nov 5, 2022)

YotaBota said:


> sometimes preceded by "hold my beer" or "watch this"


....and followed by " well, that didn't go as planned"  and, " who woulda thunk?"


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## Doggggboy (Nov 5, 2022)

A favourite from a holiday in Sicily.
The mother of stupid is always pregnant.


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## Dabbler (Nov 6, 2022)

When someone tells me "it can't be done that way"  I always say to myself (silently)  "oh yeah?  Is there a way?"


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## eotrfish (Nov 6, 2022)

A few from my grandpa...

"spins like the button on a shithouse door"
"shaking like a cat shitting fish hooks"
"plugged up tighter than a bull's arse in fly time"

and my favourite from an old friend in the piney woods of east Texas

"it ain't braggin if you done it"


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## curmudgeon (Nov 6, 2022)

"as straight as a dog's hind leg" - most frequently used by my dad to describe a line of fence posts I just finished driving in by hand

and one from your homeland, "mutton dressed as lamb" - used by a colleague at work to describe a particularly nasty client

"it's never easy" - a commiseration from our carpenter after an unexpected problem messes up the day


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## historicalarms (Nov 6, 2022)

StevSmar said:


> “This has been a great opportunity for improvement”… normally said after something has gone wrong.
> 
> I would sometimes get stares of incomprehension when I used the expression “busier than a blue arsed fly”…
> I was talking to a fellow from out east and he said that his expression is similar but adds further context “busier than a green arsed fly around a piece of shit” which is certainly easier to comprehend.
> I get a chuckle that that the arses of the flies in Australia were blue, but in Canada they were green…


  "busier than a four peckered wild cat" was a common conversation starter around the farm at seeding or harvest time.


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