Why Is Dana...
 

going around saying "God's teeth" all of a sudden?

Is this a new meme I've missed?

I believe it is a British expression that has been around for a while. Perhaps Monster or Dana herself will enlighten us.

"God's Teeth!" This would be used anywhere you might say "Geez!"
(or you favorite similar blasphemy or 4 letter version)

but WTF is it about God's teeth, exactly?!

"By God's blood!" I get.

god's teeth?

Not so much.

Why not say, "God's gallbladder!" or similar?

Now, come ON, Dana. What's with the fixation on divine dentures?

Perhaps pronouncing "Geez!" with a lithp :bolt:

It's an old expression, my beting is she's watching something Victoriany, Sherlock maybe ?

It's one that floats into my head now and then. My old English teacher at school used to use it. And my dad from time to time.

Can't recall now it's derivation. I'm surprised you've suddenly noticed. It's one I've used on and off for a long time.

Shakespeare used it. They say (sorry, had the cite but closed the window too fast) that there used to be other body parts you could swear by too that just fell out of favor. Like "gadzooks" is supposedly a shortening of "God's hooks," i.e. his hands. Also, I thought it was interesting that "bloody" is said to be a bastardization of "by-your-lady," i.e. Virgin Mary.

I was a bit curious about the expression too. It's the first time I heard it. :)

This link gives several (sort of academic) derivations.

But given my "through the looking glass" mentality,
I've assumed the association has to do with a woman's period.
Likewise, the words and phrases such as "ruddy" and "ragged on".

Thus:
.

I've been to the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Buddha's tooth is supposedly preserved there. Does that count?

I thought St Catherine of Siena's head was better value, as I actually got to see that.

God's Teeth,
God's Wounds (z'ounds)
Gadzooks (God's hooks)

And aye, yes, Bloody = By your Lady

Goodbye = God be with you.

Also Streuth = God's truth.

God's teeth still gets used. Might be more of a northern thing though. Mostly it's been replaced by 'Christ on a bike' I think.


For a bunch of Godless heathens we do have rather a God-filled language.

As opposed to a man's period? :eyebrow:

I thought it was "By Our Lady" rather than your lady, but the term definitely predates the modernistic view that anything regarding menses can be mentioned in public -as a swear word or not. Ditto the other two. Of course if that's really what you want to believe, no-one can stop you... enjoy your mental images........ (ew)

I personally do not (ever, or almost never) actually use such words
in general conversation because of such connotations for me.
But they do seem to be prevalent in British films.

I'm willing to listen...

How would a Brit use the words "ruddy" or "ragged on"
... without a distant association to menses ?
Or alternatively
... use them with an association to "by our lady" ?

Well, if By Your lady became bastardised to 'bloody': the word 'ruddy' means a kind of dark pink, and has a similar sound so became a less offensive alternative to 'bloody'.

Had there been any kind of association of 'ruddy' with menses, that word would not have been considered as less offensive.

'Ragged on' is used because 'rag' means to taunt or tease.

'On the rag' does refer to a woman being on her period, but it is a much more modern usage(late 19th/early 20th C). The earlier meaning of taunting predates it by at least two centuries.


[eta] from early 18th C. 'rag' is recorded as meaning to 'scold' as well as to taunt. This apparently might be related to the Danish dialect word 'rag' meaning 'grudge'.

OK, I'll take it that for Brits, the words do have other meanings.
But for me to use/hear them, it will be hard... like "not thinking about hippopotimus" :)

Yeah, I get that when you merkins say things like "I was at the game rooting for the football team, and now my fanny is sore".


ETA: Keep bumping this thread. The stars will align somehow.

God's Teeth

Buckle up.

I can't imagine how you ever got hung up on that, and I don't want to.

Google painters and decorators as slang.


(btw, Brits, that was cut from the version of Bend it like Beckam released here)