Mixed Bag

[Opsa]

This is a place to discuss peculiar sayings from around the world, and their meanings. (Thread originally started in What significant Things Have I Done Today?)

We started out discussing the use of the term "Mixed bag".

[Swatopluk]

Why are bad actors hamming it up producing turkeys?

[Opsa]

LOL!

Some sources say that "ham" refers to hamfat, which used to be used to remove heavy theatrical makeup. Others say it refers to "Hamlet", which is sometimes an over-emoted role.

"Turkey" apparently refers to old vaudeville shows, the worst of which were played even on Thanksgiving "Turkey" day. I guess the better acts could afford to take a day off.

[Aggie]

23 skidoo, youse....!

[Opsa]

There seem to be a bunch of theories on that one.

Cheese it, here come the fuzz!

[Swatopluk]

before one could say Jack Robinson

[Opsa]

OMG, this made me think of a recipe we got from some family friends in Spain that called for putting something or other in the pot and saying "Uff!", which we thought was funny. I always assumed it meant that you just wait a moment (long enough to say "uff") before proceeding.

But look at these definitions of "uff"! Sheesh, and they were such nice people, too.

[pieces o nine]

My Bohemian (maternal) grandmother always exclaimed, "Uff! miney" when something went wrong or looked troublesome.


DISCLAIMER: I have no idea how to spell that!  

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

I like this one:

7.    UFF
   
United Fascist Front a political party in america that seeks change in the U.S government.

The UFF has come to save america from the comunists and socialists.

I bet Sean Hannity is a carrying card member.

[Opsa]

Ohhhhh.... I thought he was a card-carrying member of the other one mentioned: Ugly F*** Face. My mistake.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

That and membership to the SSS: Sadistic Soulless Sociopaths

[anthrobabe]

I have heard the sound of UFF before---- as pronounced Ooo-ff. However I have only ever associated it with the sound of something like getting hit in the stomach or something, as a sort of whoosh of air out noise.

Very interesting to hear that it has some carry over and has some Czech l language roots possibly--- and a quick look i've learned that the Czech language is very inflective and that inflection really lends meaning to the words.

I suppose my regional version would be uck!, and interesting that it is also a U word.

Ham it up-- I have always known it to be an actor (or someone acting up) that is over the top and not subtle--- maybe it came out of vaudeville which seems to have been the 'theater' of the masses and since the masses were not so much interested in high drama but instead being entertained (after 13 hours in a sweat house working who could blame them) and many were probably very intoxicated perhaps the actors of vaudeville would just be so over the top as to give their audience a great show-- but why call it HAM? Vaudeville was also known for outrageous costuming as well-- maybe the idea started with huge like a hog or high on the hog and went from there. Interesting Wiki article      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soho                that shows some association of Ham being a sexual term--there are other associations in English/North American associating ham with penis as well. Also West Ham is town called Ham and or West Ham. Also a link that is interesting:  http://www.bingleylittletheatre.co.uk/blt-diduknow.html



What do people in other places say to indicate an actor that is over the top or cut rate? 

[Aggie]

Don't look at me, I'm from America Jr.^TM  

Here's a bit of American slang that I've taken a shine to recently: Jelly roll

As in:

Politicians and preachers keep tellin' us how to live right
But you can catch them buying jelly roll most every night

or

Jelly roll, jelly roll, jelly roll is so hard to find
  Ain't a baker in town can bake a sweet jelly roll like mine

  I got to go to Cincinnatuh, just to have my hambone boiled
  Womens in Alabama gon' let my hambone spoil

  Well, she mine and she yours, and she's somebody else's, too
  Don't you mention 'bout rollin', though, she'll play all sick on you

  That's the way, that's the way, these bare-footed strollers do
  They will get your money and they'll have a man on you

  You come home at night, she got a towel on her head
  Don't you mention about rollin', though, she'll swear she's nearly dead

  Jelly roll, jelly roll, well, you see what you went and done?
  You done had my grandpa, now you got his youngest son

  I'm gettin' tired of walkin', I b'lieve I'll slide a while
  I'm gettin' tired of women tellin' me their lies

  I wonder what made grandpa, hey, love your grandma so?
  She got the same jelly roll she had forty years ago

[Swatopluk]

The German term for ham(ming) is Schmiere (grease). But I read it has nothing to do with fat but is derived from Hebrew through Yiddish and originally meant singing (as in song not singe)*. Ironically another Hebrew word (from the Bible no less) also ended up as 'Schmiere' and means the lookout burglars etc. use to warn them that someone is coming. So God watching over his people ended up as an accomplice of crime

But I also found that 'one grease that fits all purposes' is a term for a person without character that will do anything demanded of him.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Zono: if you see this, what is the [South American] Spanish take on an idiom for "mixed bag"?

I can't think on an equivalent at this moment, you could say the colloquial "revuelto" or "revoltillo" (literally mixed or scrambled) but the connotation of the good with the bad isn't there. If I had to translate it I would have to spell it out, ie era una mezcla de lo bueno con lo malo, lit, it was a mix of the good with the bad.