http://www.englishforums.com/English/GeneralEnglishVocabularyIdiom-Questions/Forum29.htmHelp with defining words and idioms, and new words and idioms that you've learntenXMOD (Build: 3607.32596)http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/3/vdbxq/Post.htm#993051Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:34:03 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:993051Anonymous0http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/3/vdbxq/Post.htm#993051http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-993051.xmlThis "old Fart" remembers the Maggie and Jigs pictures but I'm thinking it was used earlier in Britain as some kind of greeting for an "in" group.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/3/vdbxq/Post.htm#992993Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:18:25 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:992993Anonymous1http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/3/vdbxq/Post.htm#992993http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-992993.xmlThere was a syndicated comic strip on the US Sunday Newspapers called "Bringing up Father". It featured a well-to-do couple. A rather ugly woman with a dapper husband known as Maggie and Jigs. They lived in a rather up-scale apartment in a large city. Frames that showed the apartment walls had active pictures. One frame that I remember shows two pictures on the wall with a silly looking character in each one with one saying to the other "Vosh Ricky Dosh" and the other replying "Farno Farno".http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/3/vdbxq/Post.htm#961802Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:42:59 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:961802Anonymous2http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/3/vdbxq/Post.htm#961802http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-961802.xmlvos rikki dosh.. as far as I can remember, there was a serial comic in the daily newspaper..Maggie and Jiggs. He suffered from the gout, always had his leg in bandages, carried a cane...and Maggie was always on his case for being a no-good, corned beef and cabbage eating thorn in her side. On the wall of their house was a particular small picture with two characters talking to one another... One would say "Vos rikki dosh".. The other would answer " Farno, farno. What this inane conversation means, in fact, I have no idea.. Hope this helps you outhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/3/vdbxq/Post.htm#940034Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:08:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:940034Anonymous3http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/3/vdbxq/Post.htm#940034http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-940034.xml1st and only time I ever saw the phrase was in the "Jiggs and Maggie or Bringing up Father cartoon in Sunday papers. Likely in the 1950'shttp://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#857448Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:54:32 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:857448Anonymous4http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#857448http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-857448.xmlMy father confirms this; he remembers it from the late 1940's in Scotland. It didn't work as a chat-up line, allegedly. . .http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#781772Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:50:40 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:781772Anonymous5http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#781772http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-781772.xmlIn the comic strip "Bringing up Father" there were two portraits of bearded men in dress suits, looking like 19th Century European diplomats that hung on Mr. Jiggs's livingroom wall. One of the gents in the portraits would often say (via talk balloon) "Vosh rikki dosh" and the other would reply "Farno farno." I always thought it was just nonsense, like "1506 nix nix" and "Notary Sojac" in the "Smokey Stover" strip, the crazy names for the boats in Pogo, etc.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#690901Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:47:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:690901Anonymous6http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#690901http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-690901.xmlPerhaps my memory is incorrect but I believe its from a Maggi and Giggs cartoon from the 50's or early 60's...BBBhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#666074Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:03:24 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:666074Anonymous7http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#666074http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-666074.xmlI remember the wall hangings and the sayings, but I think the cartoon was "Bringing Up Father", which features Maggie & Jiggs, not Mutt & Jeff.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#626148Fri, 22 May 2009 03:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:626148Anonymous8http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#626148http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-626148.xmlHello, In the comic strip "Bringing Up Father" ( Maggie and Jiggs) there were two pictures on the wall that each featured a drunk in various poses. The drunk in the first picture would say the first part and the second drunk would reply farno farno. It was a running gag that showed up in the strip often over the years. Sorry, I can't help you on your second question. Bert.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#582776Sun, 22 Mar 2009 04:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:582776Anonymous9http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#582776http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-582776.xmlIn the background of the cartoon strip Maggy and Jigs, there were often a pair of bearded forigners greating each other. One would say, Vosh riki dosh? and the other would answer, "Farno, farno.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#582264Sun, 22 Feb 2009 04:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:582264Clive10http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#582264http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-582264.xmlHi, By searching online, I get the impression that this is from the old comic strip Katzenjammer kids. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katzenjammer_Kids Clivehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#582255Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:582255Anonymous11http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#582255http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-582255.xmlI recall seeing these words in a comic strip in a South African newspaper in the fifties. There were two framed pictures on the wall with a character in each - one said 'vosh rikki dosh?' and the other responded 'farno farno'. The meaning?? Not a clue!http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#552274Fri, 22 May 2009 03:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:552274Anonymous12http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/2/vdbxq/Post.htm#552274http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-552274.xmlThe wall hangings in Mutt & Jeff cartoons-one would say "vosh riccki dosh" and the other replied " farno farno"http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#523208Sun, 22 Mar 2009 04:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:523208Anonymous13http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#523208http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-523208.xmlI also remember this saying from the comic strip "Bringing Up Father."http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#518852Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:518852Anonymous14http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#518852http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-518852.xml"vosh rikki dosh, farno, farno" may have come from John Colliers Fancies and Gooodnights. I use the expression myself, but don't know ( or remember ) the meaning or origin.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#485087Fri, 22 May 2009 03:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:485087Anonymous15http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#485087http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-485087.xmlI would love to know that too my dad said it for years even he didn't know what it meant he was born in Scotland, but moved to the US when he was three please let me in on it if you find out.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#485085Sun, 22 Feb 2009 04:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:485085Anonymous16http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#485085http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-485085.xmlOh, my gosh my dad used that saying for years and nobody knew what it meant including him if you ever find out I would love to know we thought he made it up!! He was born in Scottland and moved here to the States when he was 3~~http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#426927Fri, 22 May 2009 03:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:426927Marius Hancu17http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#426927http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-426927.xmlAnonymous wrote: I suggest the originator of the question about Vosh Rikki Dosh interrogate, google, the Comic Strip "Smokey Stover". Billl Holman drew the strip from 1935 to 1973. The two wheeled fire wagon, and "notary Sojac" appeared in every strip that I recall. Always, also, were two small figures in one of the panels talking to each other. The one, "Vosh Rikki Dosh", followed by the answer, "Farno, Farno." I recall it as pure gibberish, no meaning, invented by the author to make people discuss it 70 years after inception. Do not hold me to the details, but my 65+ year old memory recalls the above distinctly. Contact me if you wish. ougcolleen@sbcglobal.net">dougcolleen AT sbcglobal.net . Don't post your e-mail...http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#426849Sun, 22 Mar 2009 04:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:426849Anonymous18http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#426849http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-426849.xmlActually, this saying was in the comic strip called "Bringing up Father" with the characters of Maggi and Jiggs. In the background, one portrait picture on the wall would say to the other picture "vosh rikki dosh" and the other portrait pictue would reply "farno farno."http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#355341Sun, 22 Mar 2009 04:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:355341Anonymous19http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#355341http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-355341.xmlI suggest the originator of the question about Vosh Rikki Dosh interrogate, google, the Comic Strip "Smokey Stover". Billl Holman drew the strip from 1935 to 1973. The two wheeled fire wagon, and "notary Sojac" appeared in every strip that I recall. Always, also, were two small figures in one of the panels talking to each other. The one, "Vosh Rikki Dosh", followed by the answer, "Farno, Farno." I recall it as pure gibberish, no meaning, invented by the author to make people discuss it 70 years after inception. Do not hold me to the details, but my 65+ year old memory recalls the above distinctly. Contact me if you wish. ougcolleen@sbcglobal.net">dougcolleen@sbcglobal.net .http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#349379Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:349379Feebs1120http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htm#349379http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-349379.xmlIt looks like a nonsense rhyme, taking off the sounds of Romany.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htmSun, 22 Feb 2009 04:53:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:349366Anonymous21http://www.englishforums.com/English/SayingsUsedBritishGreat-Grandmother/vdbxq/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments29-349366.xmlDoes anyone know the origin and/or meaning of "vosh rikki dosh, farno, farno"? I have tried to find it as a phrase as well as each word individually and I have had limited success. Also any ideas on the origin of "there's always something to cut the dog's tail short". Thankyou for any light you may be able to shed on these two sayings.