michael quinion donotuseworldwidewordsorg world wide words issue 296 saturday 20 july 2002 sent saturday 15000 subscribers least 119 countries editor michael quinion thornbury bristol uk issn 14701448 respond mailing remember change outgoing address one contact addresses section contents 1 turns phrase beanpole family 2 weird words jobbernowl 3 beyond words 4 qa chip old block bells whistles mortarboard 5 endnote 6 subscription commands 7 contact addresses 1 turns phrase beanpole family historically families usually children parents resulting family trees looked like pyramids however recent years especially countries like britain us number children per generation steadily gone life span increased led shape family tree researchers likened beanpole tall thin people generation term beanpole family around academic literature least since 1987 rarely appears elsewhere recent british report brought wider public notice least uk researchers find slangy prefer jargon term verticalised describe families whatever term prefer specialists sure demographic shift big effect personal relationships within family example role grandparents rising divorce rate partly explains growth beanpole family almost one two marriages ending divorce many adults least two families single child observer may 2002 noting rising number socalled beanpole families britain families one child report warns child without siblings starved companionship family members age leading greater social isolation teenagers adopting selfish attitude life guardian june 2002 2 weird words jobbernowl stupid person blockhead unfortunately useful effective insult rather dropped use mealymouthed times last excursion find classic w c fields film bank dick 1940 word occurs variant form line surely dont luddieduddie dont mooncalf dont jabbernow youre turns one novels hall caine 1890 even seems rather rare old french jobard jobe silly word added noll top crown head noddle first sense blocklike stupidlooking head soon extended refer quality mind within jobbernowlism condition state jobbernowl act remark especially stupid careful use recipient might subscriber 3 beyond words ive away heritage conference colchester past days way back eye caught warning sign posted steps local railway station caution run stairs use hand rail 4 qa q job read american magazines concerning consumer electronics home systems burglar alarms etc often come across expression bells whistles seem relate equipment accessories features offered customer plusses really indispensable device work right funny phrase come herve castelain france q youre right meaning phrase refers gimmicks nonessential often engaging features added piece technical equipment computer program make seem superficially attractive without enhancing main function phrase actually quite modern may product american military least one earliest appearances article atlantic october 1982 said pentagon slang extravagant frills theres evidence term actually around since 1960s early evidence sparse comes still matter learned debate literal sense phrase appeared around middle nineteenth century referring streetcars railways steamships modern electronics really two ways make loud warning noise either rang bell tooted whistle steam made latter real power land anybody heard noisy outoftune calliope steamboat natchez new orleans agree power though less glory one time clang clang clang went trolley large numbers american cities least early us railroad locomotives bells whistles extract article appletons journal 1876 shows look angle sixty degrees see sweeping along edge precipice twothirds rocky height train redandyellow railwaycars drawn two woodburning engines sound whose bells whistles seems like small diversions little children diminished distance could bells whistles thought excessive case belt braces unnecessary feature frill possibly probable slang sense term comes close musical relative calliope theatre organ extraordinary instruments mighty wurlitzer augmented basic repertoire sorts sound effects help organist accompany silent films among car horns sirens bird whistles effects called toys organs often toy counters 20 noisemakers including various bells whistles 1950s decades talkies came theatre organs still common big movie houses fun features must considered longer essential function organ mere fripperies inessential addons possible slang sense grew got taken especially computing industry perhaps opportunities add great q designation robes academic dress clearly comes origin clergy middle ages mortarboards best could find origin 12th 13th century clergy cap squareshaped mortarboard refer guilds origin ancient academic cap often called mortarboard quite ancient word dates middle nineteenth century less slangy way identify call square literal mortar board wooden plate usually handle underneath bricklayers carry small amounts mortar similar tool used plasterers usually call hawk seems happened similarity shape brickies board academic cap led wag probably oxford university apply name one first recorded use book 18536 adventures mr verdant green oxford freshman clergyman named edward bradley wrote pen name cuthbert bede names two patron saints durham went school verdant green sort undergraduate pickwick book recounts adventures magisterial reprimand appears one escapade overlook offence assuming portion academical attire gave offensive epithet mortarboard especially acted suggestion bidding ought known better slow start book became huge success selling 200000 copies next 20 years whether mr bradley invented slang term may never know book certainly popularised q got discussion chip old block friends wondering sculpting jewelry making woodworking none term mean come vijay renganathan associations carpentry block definitely made wood first form expression chip block meaning person thing made stuff somebody something else source parentage early example sermon dr robert sanderson one time bishop lincoln dated 1637 child adam chip block later century another form recorded chip old block meant somebody spitting image father continued family characteristic point probably late nineteenth century modified chip old block nothing change sense way usually written said 5 endnote sum human wisdom contained one language single language capable expressing forms degrees human comprehension ezra pound quoted david crystal guardian 25 october 1999 6 subscription commands leave list change subscription address subscribe please visit send message address want subscribed leave send signoff worldwidewords join send subscribe worldwidewords firstname lastname 7 contact addresses use address comes hit reply mailing message sent electronic deadletter office either create new message change outgoing address one general comments qa section questions world wide words copyright c michael quinion 2002 rights reserved words web site may reproduce newsletter whole part free media online provided include note copyright notice reproduction print media web pages requires prior permission contact fri 19 jul 2002 193258 0100 world wide words 20 jul 02