Talk:I'll be a monkey's uncle
Add topic- "From: Talk:monkey's uncle"
I get confused over whether a term is UK or Australian, since I've spent about half my life in each place.
But I certainly have long used "I don't give a monkey's uncle". It might however be a polite version of "I don't give a monkey's toss" that I acquired by confusion ?
The phrase "well I'll be a monkey's uncle" is/was understood in the UK, but not much used. Don't think I've heard it in Australia in 30 years. That usage might now be considered Archaic ??--Richardb 14:21, 4 March 2006 (UTC)
- "From: WT:RFC"
Needs to be made into a proper entry. SemperBlotto 20:00, 6 February 2006 (UTC)
- I stabbed at it. Is this US-specific, or do you use it over there on your side of the pond to? --Connel MacKenzie T C 20:08, 6 February 2006 (UTC)
- see talk:monkey's uncle--Richardb 14:22, 4 March 2006 (UTC)
RfD discussion.
[edit]I'm pretty sure that I'll be a monkey's uncle is the more appropriate, but not completely. What if someone searches for "monkey's uncle"? I didn't much like the redirect. DAVilla 16:04, 4 December 2006 (UTC)
- The various forms of an idiom are redirected to the most common form. Since both are 'disdained' multi-word terms, certainly the redirect is more appropriate? That's my understanding of our rules for them - if that is wrong, I'd certainly like to know. --Connel MacKenzie 16:21, 4 December 2006 (UTC)
- Keep as a redirect to the idiom. "Monkey's uncle" has no meaning by itself, as far as I am aware, other than the literal meaning. — Paul G 11:25, 5 December 2006 (UTC)
- And never will, we'd hope. Connel's argument makes sense but this one is just so short, it kinda stood out. DAVilla 19:10, 5 December 2006 (UTC)
Okay, already reverted to redirect. DAVilla 19:06, 5 December 2006 (UTC)
Etymology
[edit]Old-fashioned quip intuitively relates to an expression of disbelief in Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species. Perhaps because of the centrality of this example in popular culture and the longevity of the related controversy, the quip has retained use.
- The reference to "The Fine arts journal" is absolutely incorrect. As one reads the story which is in the journal, there is actually a monkey character, and the character's uncle, Mr. Oxberry is an other character. Therefore I removed it. 68.83.70.253