This amused me even though I didn't quite believe it (it was said in passing on a smug radio 4 comedy show) so this morning I checked with a couple of Welsh speakers from the village to see if this was indeed correct.
One older lady rejected the suggestion, stating her word for a microwave was indeed the word "micro-wave" only said in a sing song Welsh accent! but the other lady said the radio programme was indeed right with the proviso that the more common version of the word was the less onomatopoeic "Popty-Microdon"
It's my latest favourite Welsh word
Last Wednesday night I was working with three Welsh speaking nurses., who frequently burst into bouts of Welsh chatter when they got together. Two more Filipino nurses on shift, shared confidences in their own sing song Tagalog which left me and another member of staff "out in the cold" so to speak.
This nurse, bored with not understanding what the hell was going on suddenly, feigned a butch stance, put her hands on her hips and sang over to me, as I was preparing a set of ivs
"let's talk gay" she lisped
Well it was funny at 3.30am!
Oooo0, sctatch yer eyes out!
ReplyDeleteAnd here was me thinking it was common knowledge about the old popty-ping thing...
ReplyDeletepopty-ping
moves right hand in an exaggerated s shape
ReplyDelete"read it a learn sister!"
How funny - I only learnt about 'popty-ping' two days ago as well! It must be in the air. I like that simple recipe called 'chicken ding'. You put a chicken in the microwave and take it out when it goes, 'DING!'
ReplyDeleteThat's a phrase which reminds me of The Boy sneezing when he was toilet training..
ReplyDeleteHilarious! Talkin gay.....leaves everyone behind in the dust!Literally!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Curb Your Enthusiasm!!!
My mother in law calls hers- 'the Mikey,' then her dish washer is 'The Dishy' I think she has a secret crush on someone called Mike who was dishy.
ReplyDeleteGoodness me, talking gay, whatever next. A thoroughly bad influence on all those normal, masculine straight guys. Something must be done!
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ReplyDeletePopty-Ping sounds like a bag of microwave popcorn going off....maybe that's where the name came from.
ReplyDeletePopty-ping. .....is now and forever shall be in my word life!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGay Sponge...that's what Larry is...love CURB!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI like the word popty-ping. I think it should make its way into mainstream English.
ReplyDeleteI can see that we're going to have to organise an 'Blog Title of the Year' competition.
ReplyDeletePopty-ping. That's in my list of Welsh words to remember. (You know, for when I finally get to visit.)
ReplyDeleteTell your nurse friend I love it!
ReplyDeleteCrap, I had no idea "fierce" was a "Gay" word. I'll have to start using it more. I wonder if it still "sounds gay" in Spanish. ¡Feroz! I'll have to ask around.
ReplyDeleteBut, "popty-ping"???
and a Popty-Ping to you too John...sounds so much cleverer than microwave...which sounds like passionless techno speak!
ReplyDeletethe "let's talk gay" was inspired, especially since it was in the wee early hours! so did ya?!!!
Err.. what were the poorly patients doing while all this linguistic tomfoolery went on? Dying?
ReplyDeleteI shall henceforth call my microwave a poptyping - a much nicer word.
ReplyDeleteyp.
ReplyDeletethey were hanging on to existence by their fingernails!
Haha.
ReplyDeleteNight shifts.
Hope you all have a great weekend, John.
I simply ADORE popty-ping, and hope that you did talk gay.
ReplyDelete