tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post115667834823371058..comments2024-03-16T00:21:43.240+00:00Comments on Separated by a Common Language: jammylynneguisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-73483105904080772622021-05-06T22:48:56.212+01:002021-05-06T22:48:56.212+01:00"You jammy bastard" is the version I'..."You jammy bastard" is the version I'm more familiar with. It's often bowdlerised to "jammy dodger" around sensitive ears, though this is probably taken from the name of the biscuit rather than vice versa. "Dodger" is also a very old slang term for a ducking-and-diving sort of trickster.<br /><br />I agree with David Crosbie that being "jammy" usually refers to a sort of falling into a pile of good luck that's utterly undeserved, and probably gets you out of trouble as well.<br /><br />Have always assumed the name of the biscuit is an intentional nod-and-wink pun. If you're old enough to be aware of the phrase "jammy bastard/bugger", well and good. If not, well, you'll just think it's a funny name for a biscuit.Robbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13817438530048331339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-41428239802209346772020-07-27T10:55:09.982+01:002020-07-27T10:55:09.982+01:00One subtle aspect of jammy is that it isn't ju...One subtle aspect of jammy is that it isn't just lucky but, more often than not, <br /> undeservingly lucky. I favour the etymology from the British in the Far East where jam was a rare luxury commodity so the boy who got the jam was a lucky boy indeed.David Matthewshttp://british-american-dictionary.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-15347118005829113762018-12-19T20:02:25.703+00:002018-12-19T20:02:25.703+00:00What a lovely feed to scroll through. Thank you ev...What a lovely feed to scroll through. Thank you everyone. I hope you're still enjoying Scrabble Lynne!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12600308201462469914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-88409972523509761612016-08-27T11:58:25.201+01:002016-08-27T11:58:25.201+01:00To my ears, jammy implies underserved luck (as enj...To my ears, <i>jammy</i> implies <b>underserved luck</b> (as enjoyed by Roger the Dodger) or <b>luck that compensates for lack of skill</b> (as with those Scrabble players.<br /><br />I immediately think of the expression <i>You jammy bugger!</i> This looks downright hostile when written down, <br /><br />[at least when my spellchecker doesn't insist on <i>bigger</i>]<br /><br />but is actually a rather affectionate taunt approximating to 'Well that turned out well for you, but you know you didn't deserve it.'David Crosbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01858358459416955921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-14786824908236424392016-08-26T19:16:04.915+01:002016-08-26T19:16:04.915+01:00The current Burton's website says the 'Jam...The current Burton's website says the 'Jammie' part is because it has jam inside, and the 'Dodger' part is named after a cartoon character named 'Roger the Dodger'. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-78483961443605779582011-10-17T14:20:31.428+01:002011-10-17T14:20:31.428+01:00I think I'm increasingly hearing 'spawny&#...I think I'm increasingly hearing 'spawny' rather than 'jammy' in a sporting context. No idea what the derivation is...Matthttp://salisburyandstonehenge.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-55554497114848350412010-03-06T21:29:35.581+00:002010-03-06T21:29:35.581+00:00We rarely say 'jammy', I think, because &#...We rarely say 'jammy', I think, because 'jam' is shorter and punchier.<br />I most often hear 'Pure jam' for unwarranted luck.GingGangGoolieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03214643499214406496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-83327934588575360882009-05-11T23:10:00.000+01:002009-05-11T23:10:00.000+01:00hehe real nice...
someone called me a jammy grit ...hehe real nice...<br /><br />someone called me a jammy grit at the online poker table...<br /><br />I'm dutch so I had to find out about this odd saying...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1156940302942483702006-08-30T13:18:00.000+01:002006-08-30T13:18:00.000+01:00Burton's Foods (AmE) has/ (BrE) have got(ten) back...Burton's Foods (AmE) <B>has</B>/ (BrE) <B>have</B> got(ten) back to me. It seems that they've changed ownership so often that there's no one around from the 'old days' to talk about the Jammie Dodgers name, though the rep has said she'll try asking around a bit more.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1156872481844353262006-08-29T18:28:00.000+01:002006-08-29T18:28:00.000+01:00There was a warm-up tournament, which I led for th...There was a warm-up tournament, which I led for the first 2 games, but ended up with 3 out of 6. The main tournament was 18 games, of which I won only 8. However, in my own defen{c/s}e, I had opted to 'play up'--i.e. I was in the highest division rather than the second-highest, where my rating would have put me. I did play stupidly on Saturday, though. No room for that!<BR/><BR/>I stopped studying for Scrabble when I started studying Swedish, so I don't expect to improve my rating anyhow...lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1156856588543978442006-08-29T14:03:00.000+01:002006-08-29T14:03:00.000+01:00OK...I'm compelled to ask...how ARE you doing in t...OK...I'm compelled to ask...how ARE you doing in the tournament????<BR/><BR/>JanetJanethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16494516976868488211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1156777852601456392006-08-28T16:10:00.000+01:002006-08-28T16:10:00.000+01:00That's the very website on which the dodgy jammie ...That's the very website on which the dodgy <I>jammie dodger</I> etymology is posted. You can get to it through the post above.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1156769874573403692006-08-28T13:57:00.000+01:002006-08-28T13:57:00.000+01:00See the website of Nicey and Wifey - www.anicecupo...See the website of Nicey and Wifey - www.anicecupofteaandasitdown,com<BR/>featuring 'biscuit of the week' and all you ever wanted to know about every biscuit ever enjoyed with a nice cup of tea and a sit down.Sallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08223682934383856392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1156769382318973142006-08-28T13:49:00.000+01:002006-08-28T13:49:00.000+01:00My family doesn't say 'jammy' that often but we do...My family doesn't say 'jammy' that often but we do say 'Oooh, you've more jam than Hartleys!' (Hartleys being a big producer of jam, of course). This is often said when we're playing cards and someone takes an unexpected hand....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1156706456092587042006-08-27T20:20:00.000+01:002006-08-27T20:20:00.000+01:00I think we can say that the French etymology is a ...I think we can say that the French etymology is a bit of dodgy jam. <BR/><BR/>Ally and Gwyn have<BR/>finessed the definition.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1156703924118155952006-08-27T19:38:00.000+01:002006-08-27T19:38:00.000+01:00I agree with gwyn, usually it's 'jammy git' (often...I agree with gwyn, usually it's 'jammy git' (often pronounced more-or-less like 'get'), or 'jammy bugger'.. Though I should possibly bow to the greater knowledge of the people at the OED, it doesn't really just mean lucky: i'd say it would only be undeserved luck that you'd (or that I'd) call 'jammy'. There can also be a connotation of smarmy-ness - like if you got a job that you weren't perhaps the most qualified candidate for, but you chatted up your interviewer or something. That'd be dead jammy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1156694490558858902006-08-27T17:01:00.000+01:002006-08-27T17:01:00.000+01:00It´s heard a lot in pub games such as pool, usuall...It´s heard a lot in pub games such as pool, usually in conjunction with the insult, git, when someone flukes a shot in you´ll invariably hear "You jammy git!"GwynFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16130056662883572556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-1156682559430167922006-08-27T13:42:00.000+01:002006-08-27T13:42:00.000+01:00I must firstly admit I'm not a native french speak...I must firstly admit I'm not a native french speaker, but to me "Jamais de Guerre" is ungrammatical. If it is grammatical then certainly there is no future or subjunctive that would justify "Never shall there be war" as the english gloss.<BR/><BR/>I think you're right, it's got to be a folk etymology.Sumrandomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13307086821293604748noreply@blogger.com