Meadows Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Was watching Minder on satellite tonight (Brilliant programme;)) when Arfur Daley confused me!! When trying to sell a watch, he called it a Kettle, Anyone explain this one,it's driving me Radio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Gosling Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Was watching Minder on satellite tonight (Brilliant programme;)) when Arfur Daley confused me!! When trying to sell a watch, he called it a Kettle, Anyone explain this one,it's driving me Radio Kettle (and hob) = watch (fob watch - Ack M Kelsey - 'Kettle' means 'watch'. A fob is actually a small pocket in the waistline of the trousers or in a waistcoat, in which a pocket-watch would be kept, often connected and secured via a fob chain. The anachronistic nature of the association today provides an example of how language evolves from something recognisable into something seemingly illogical. For the same reason in years to come people will wonder why we say the 'telephone is ringing', or why flushing the toilet is referred to as 'pulling the chain'.) Here's another explanation It was commonplace for everyone to wear a pocket watch and chain in the waistcoat & it was also equally commonplace for the watch to be in the pawn shop as an interim loan security - however no one was keen for people to know that this situation was necessary, so the chain would be kept and worn as normal. In the kitchens of the day the fire would be an open one and there would be a bar or hook above it from which a length of chain would be secured and from there the kettle would be suspended above the fire to boil. So with this in mind, if the pocket watch chain, with no weight on it to hold it in the pocket, fell out and dangled minus the missing watch, there would always be some clever Charlie ready to pipe up "What's that for then, your bleedin' kettle?" Dave Walker provided the following: The origin of "kettle" comes from illicit spirit making, distilled in what were large coppers known as kettles, hence, kettle of scotch = watch. I have always understood this to be the true origin, and it does rhyme, after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadows Posted August 17, 2008 Author Share Posted August 17, 2008 Brilliant Peanut!!!! PS..how sad are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Gosling Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I asked Yahoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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