Active Topics | Member List | Search | Help | Register | Login
The John Byrne Forum MOBILE
Byrne Robotics | The John Byrne Forum Page of 2 Next >>
Topic: Gormless Post Reply | Post New Topic
Author
Message
John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132133
Posted: 20 November 2020 at 7:21pm | IP Logged | 1 post reply

Drifting thru nostalgia, and recalled this word, a favorite from my childhood in England. It basically means “stupid”.

Hey, members from Britain—is it still in use?

Back to Top profile | search
 
Robbie Moubert
Byrne Robotics Member

Evertonian

Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1484
Posted: 20 November 2020 at 8:49pm | IP Logged | 2 post reply

It's definitely still in use although I couldn't say when I last used it. A young (mid-20s) acquaintance of mine says she uses it all the time.

Edited by Robbie Moubert on 20 November 2020 at 8:49pm
Back to Top profile | search | www
 
James Woodcock
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 21 September 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 7581
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 2:15am | IP Logged | 3 post reply

Yep, a special kind of stupid.

We used to abbreviate it to calling someone ‘a gorm’
Back to Top profile | search e-mail
 
Bill Collins
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 26 May 2005
Location: England
Posts: 11245
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 5:59am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

Definitely still used in The Black Country!
Back to Top profile | search e-mail
 
Bill Collins
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 26 May 2005
Location: England
Posts: 11245
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 6:05am | IP Logged | 5 post reply

This has made me think of a couple of local words that
do seem to have gone out of regular use, 'Gom' as a
substitute for god as in 'My gom' and 'Ruddy' as in
Ruddy hell'
Back to Top profile | search e-mail
 
Raj Dhami
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 07 March 2008
Posts: 232
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 8:27am | IP Logged | 6 post reply

Gormless is still very much in "circulation" and is normally partnered alongside "Git"  (e.g "that Boris Johnson is a gormless git") just to add further insult to injury :)

FYI...Boris just used as an example, not used as a statement of political leaning.
Back to Top profile | search
 
John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132133
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 8:35am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

“Ruddy” is a euphemism, of course, used by those who think “bloody” is a bit too near the bone, derived as it is from the antique oath “Christ’s blood”.

My mother, who was not what you’d call religious, had a particular dislike of “bloody”.

Back to Top profile | search
 
John Byrne

Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 132133
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 8:38am | IP Logged | 8 post reply

For American readers, I should perhaps mention/remind that the Black Country—which is where I’m from—refers to the coal mining districts in the Midlands.
Back to Top profile | search
 
Robbie Moubert
Byrne Robotics Member

Evertonian

Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1484
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 8:50am | IP Logged | 9 post reply

In 2007 BBC1 broadcast the Harry Enfield & Paul Whitehouse series Ruddy Hell!! It's Harry and Paul, although from the second series onwards it was changed to just Harry and Paul.

Edited by Robbie Moubert on 21 November 2020 at 8:51am
Back to Top profile | search | www
 
Peter Martin
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 17 March 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 15728
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 9:26am | IP Logged | 10 post reply

Ruddy was still in use when I was a child but it tended to be used by folk from the more rural areas. Hagrid uses it quite a bit in the Potter films. Ruddy great thing it was, etc.

Gormless is definitely still in use, though not particularly common. Someone who hasn't got a clue. Basically, Trigger in Only Fools and Horses.
Back to Top profile | search
 
Rebecca Jansen
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 12 February 2018
Location: Canada
Posts: 4410
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 4:55pm | IP Logged | 11 post reply

How about 'plank', 'pratt', 'daft pillock', and 'big girls' blouse'? I think PM Boris used the latter once on Jeremy Corbyn in the house. :^D

The new one for me is 'numpty'. I like to collect these in various languages; I have a small but potent number of Dutch and Japanese put-downs and swear words too.

Gormless equates to clueless in my understanding.

Edited by Rebecca Jansen on 21 November 2020 at 4:56pm
Back to Top profile | search | www
 
Ian Penman
Byrne Robotics Member


Joined: 20 September 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 469
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 6:33pm | IP Logged | 12 post reply

Still in use. I prefer 'dozy'  myself.
Back to Top profile | search
 

Page of 2 Next >>
  Post Reply | Post New Topic |

Forum Jump

 Active Topics | Member List | Search | Help | Register | Login

You are currently viewing the MOBILE version of the site.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL SITE