..and Bobs your uncle! 1

[Jomama46]

This is a phrase I have heard on British TV shows and I think it means, "thats the end of it" or thats all there is to it"
Any "blokes" out there can clarify?

Jomama

 

[CajunCenturion]

Here is possible source Merriam Webster

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[Jomama46]

Thanks, nice link

Jomama

 

[GlenJohnson]

Well, I guess Bob's your uncle. Later.

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

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[mrees]

A version of this I like is - "And Robert's your mothers brother"!

mrees

 

[ChrisHunt]

Go to Google,

Type "bob's your uncle" in the search box

and, erm, bob's your uncle!

-- Chris Hunt

http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk

http://www.napitalia.org.uk

http://www.leicesteryha.org.uk

 

[Kiwica]

Being a Kiwi (New Zealander)this is a term Im very familiar with. "Bobs youre Uncle" is similary used the same way as "Viola" and "Hey presto"...

For example:... "..and after making sure everything is plugged in, you turn on the switch and Hey Presto" ..bobs your uncle would fit in place of hey presto...

or... do it this way and bobs youre uncle!... meaning thats all there is to it! etc etc etc

hope this helped... cheers

 

[sleipnir214]

<completely off-topic aside>

Being a Kiwi...

Out of monkey curiosity, what, then, does the "ca" part of your handle represent?

</aside>



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[Kiwica]

Im a Kiwi in California

 

[sleipnir214]

<facetious>
You, then, have my deepest sympathies.
</facetious>



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[LTeeple]

Coincidentally, Bob IS my uncle! So what should the saying mean to me?


Cheers!
Laura

 

[Jomama46]

Laura, what do you want it to mean to you?

Jomama

 

[Kiwica]

Laura...

It means you have a very popular and well known relative...

 

[Jomama46]

Persakly

Jomama

 

[SkipVought]

This reminded me of a phrase that my Dad use to say, "Let George do it," meaning let someone else do the job, not me!

Skip,

_{[red]Be advised:[/red]
Alcohol and Calculus do not mix!
If you drink, don't derive!}

 

[jerryreeve]

Skip, if you care about it "George" was the military term (Navy, I think) for the lowest ranking officer in a unit. the "George" jobs were all of the jobs and tasks that no one else wanted to handle so they got bumped down the chain until there was no officer left to pass them to. so "Let George do it" not only means to let someone else do the job it originally pointed to a specific person even though the person might change it was always "George."

If voting could really change things, it would be illegal.

JerryReeve
Communications Systems Int'l
com-sys.com

 

[SkipVought]

Jerry,

Could be, but...


“Let George do it” .... originated in France, as “Laissez faire à Georges,” during the fifteenth century, and at the start had satirical reference to the multiform activities of Cardinal Georges d’Amboise, prime minister to Louis XII. 11 It later became common slang, was translated into English, had a revival during the early days of David Lloyd George’s career, was adopted into American without any comprehension of either its first or its latest significance, and enjoyed the brief popularity of a year.

Skip,

_{[red]Be advised:[/red]
Alcohol and Calculus do not mix!
If you drink, don't derive!}

 

[Kiwica]

Ok..heres a slight change of topic....(Uncle Bobs on vacation)


Im a New Zealander (Kiwi), so I use alot of slang thats "english" in its origins..one thing that will forever amuse me here in the US is that we all speak english, but oh how different it is.... For example... I (as proabably any other british commonwealth countryperson such as australia, canada, sth africa, to name a few)..use the term "fortnightly".. I am amazed at the number of people here that have never heard this term let alone what it means, nor its origins....

Another funny is the word "petrol"... I was talking to people awhile and mentioned the shocking price of petrol here in southern ca...i got blank expressions... I did a little survey and discovered theres a good proportion of people who dont know what petrol is....its not a word thats used here, and its just a difference, thats all...I just find it amusing.....

"Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?

 

[Dimandja]

I knew a few english words such as lorry and storey before learning american english. I too got compassionate looks at my lack of english knowledge.

 

[Kiwica]

Yep, then theres the whole spelling issue:

Harbor v harbour
neighbor v neighbour
color v colour
tire v tyre
liter v litre

and the list goes on and on

"Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?