Invariant innit, isn ´t it

Thu Sep 7 16:23:37 UTC 2006

On Sep 7, 2006, at 8:50 AM, Grant Barrett wrote:

> ... What's "recent"? OED has it back to 1959 in a quote from English
> writer Michael Francis Gilbert's book "Blood and Judgment."
>
> Even if you don't have OED access to date a usage like this, doing
> something like a Usenet search often helps. Google Groups (channeling
> Usenet) shows it back to 1984 from someone professing to be Cockney...

it's a long-standing item in representations of cockney speech.  from
a 1977 (U.K.) Campari Ad:

Gentleman: It's very odd, I don't even know your name — but after
this one Campari and soda, I feel I almost know you. May I freshen
your glass? Er, soda of course?

Cockney girl: No, lemonade!

Gentleman: Campari and lemonade?!

Cockney girl: Yeah, nice colour innit?

   http://www.headington.org.uk/adverts/drinks_alcoholic.htm

it's not, so far as i can see, in Shaw's Pygmalion.  might be in the
stage or movie version of My Fair Lady, though.

it's achieved a lot of visibility recently through the performances
of Ali G.

arnold

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