Monday 25 February 2008

Dictionary corner

This afternoon, en route to Sainsbury's, I popped into one of my favourite local charity shops to browse the books. I found a very handsome hardback of The Line Of Beauty and off I went to the counter where I found one of my favourite local charity shop employees. I think I would be safe in saying he has 'never married', and rocks quite the emo wardrobe, despite my estimation that he is in his mid 60s. Had I read the book, he asked me. I said I had not. It is very good, he said. Had I seen the TV adaptation, he asked me. I said I had not. Again, he said, very good. Then, with a kind of comme-ci-comme-ca waggle of his hand, he said, 'It wasn't as... iffy-butty as they made out.' 

'Iffy-butty' – expression of mediocrity? Euphemism for some kind of sexual licentiousness? Anyone?

The living, breathing miracle of the English language.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think it means 'akin to a suspect sandwich': one where the ham is a bit stiff, or the lettuce limp, or you've had to cut bits off the cheese before eating. I'd agree with your man, that the TV adaptation wasn't like that, at all.