Diddlin?
Well tonight in Ferry Street theres some disagreemnent about the history of 'diddlin'. I claim it came from us mimicking Kratz and he orginally said it for the first time. Anyone care to help shed the light?
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posted by The Mighty Grizla! @ 12/05/2005 10:10:00 pm
15 Comments:
The exact words from Greedys mouth were:
"You used to say it all the time and we picked up on it, it was diddling this and diddling that"
to which I said I didn't used to say it all the time, and that I think it was Bingo that said to me that I said it once (probably in context) and that basically us lot, being the bunch of c**ts we are, pounced upon it and turned it into the cartoon context it is now used in.
Yes I'm afraid the Captain is right here.
It was I think 'a one off' where CK just slipped it into conversation. I think it was something like "Alright Bing, how's it going, how you diddlin?"
But to be honest, once is enough.
As far as I know, no other human being I've come into contact with in the last 26 years has ever used the expression formally.
Still, I can't wait to stand beside the Marathon with a 6 pack of Stela and a giant 'KEEP ON DIDDLING!' banner. That will be heaven.
Trivia
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A 'Diddler' is also a type of London double decker bus from 1931.
morning dudes,
Sorry to further muddy the waters; Alexi Sayle, late 80's/Early 90's Scouse comedian used to have a character who was a pretend really bad warm-up act for the real Alexi on his BBC2 program. DOn't know his name but he had buck teeth, an unkept fizzy afro and a terrible suit.
His catchphrase was "How you diddlin'?" which he would half-heartedly revert to after f'ing up yet another warm-up act.
That was always my reference point.... but obviously taken a million miles from there.
A girl I used to work with said in Australia a "diddler" or someone who diddles is commonly used to refer to a Gary Glitter type person. But this is a side issue.
Who did the diddler mock puppet picture (very good it was too)? It wasn't the diddler himself was it?
I'm afraid I did indeed do the 'Diddler Puppet Picture', utilising an image Clint found which he said looked like me! This was well into the 'diddle' phenomenon though and certainly didn't kick start it!
My thanks to Bing for confirming that I didn't "used to say it all the time, diddlin this, diddlin that"!!!
Diddlin'
not really I'm afraid to say Kratz. I seem to be in a filthy mood for no reason at all and unable to concentrate on loads of stuff I've got to do ....even a thrash around Richmond Park has failed to shake it, to quote Ed Norton's Jack;
"I felt like putting a bullet between the eyes of every Panda that wouldn't screw to save its species. I wanted to open the dump valves on oil tankers and smother all the French beaches I'd never see. I wanted to breathe smoke."
Probably the complete opposite of Diddlin'. Possibly something to do thinking too much (reaches for the two wood to club himself in the nuts with)
On the flip side if I've got enought time to get it together I am very excited about an outfit for Saturday. Its a look I've been after for a while....!
I always thought it was because Kratz has a serious lisp/speech impediment which means he pronouces words like "Didn't" and "Doing" (as in 'How you doing') as "Diddling".
And that as really good friends, instead of correcting him, we all adopted his strange speech patterns so that he wouldn't fell alienated and abnormal.
Sorry, Captain, now you know. It's best to face the truth. That's what Greedy told me anyway!!!
1. 'Diddlin' is also a feature of Ned Flanders vocabulary, which must have a relevance due to the cheery nature in which he chirrups said word.
2. 'To conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end' (source: logos.it) Something you're not telling us Capt.?
I also think Diddlin' Dickie might be able to shed some light this topic.
http://eserver.org/books/poe/diddling.html
Bloody Hell Flood, that was some thesis you found on the word, or even the act of, there!! From 1850 too!!! It seems that everyone's been a diddlin' since Edwardian times!!!
I was surprised to learn of it's actual flexibility (thinking that we'd managed to turn it into said nown, pre-nown, proverb, verb etc) when all along it's meant anything from shagging to deceit!
It does seem like a versatile word. For example:
- as a transient verb: 'Kratz diddled them"
- as a noun: "He's a diddler"
- as a verb: "I'm diddling"
- as an adverb: "That's diddlin' amazing"
- Or as almost every word in a sentence: "That Diddler diddled the diddlin' Diddlers."
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Come on Kratz you were the pioneer and thats not something to be ashamed of. Just embrace it!
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