tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post5724933873283783495..comments2024-03-08T13:38:56.717+00:00Comments on Inky Fool: You DivM.H. Forsythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464964455944509750noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-75788458366472799922021-04-23T07:05:04.428+01:002021-04-23T07:05:04.428+01:00Fancy not knowing
You div Fancy not knowing <br />You div Henry Berryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12319361240094939326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-33998683179270288572020-12-31T17:13:04.493+00:002020-12-31T17:13:04.493+00:00Agree was from Deva mental hospital in chesterAgree was from Deva mental hospital in chesterCst42https://www.blogger.com/profile/06759157409497338311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-56995594154650022012020-07-21T15:00:43.414+01:002020-07-21T15:00:43.414+01:00Some people claim div is from davy lamp and denote...Some people claim div is from davy lamp and denotes a miner being an idiot for using one - but this does not make sense as many bell and deep mines in the 18th C used candle flames which were even more dangerous. For the word to be more strongly used in lancashire (of which Liverpool was traditionally part going back to the 15th Century) and not a mining area, this is much more likely to derive from the Co-op dividend. the 'divi' is a small share of the whole - a profit share and a positive thing for the working class, but essentially NOT the 'full shilling' hence a word used to describe someone who was not as clever as others...a right divi / divvie / div.<br />Liverpudlians also used 'no mark' meaning the same thing - not getting a mark in the book (docks and ships) to prove you were there, or not receiving the mark in the share book to entitle you to getting your 'divi' paid out..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-24726258984914255402018-08-18T00:15:57.008+01:002018-08-18T00:15:57.008+01:00one summer bbc drama in 1986 the earliest we hear...one summer bbc drama in 1986 the earliest we heard divvy then on brooksideAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17912291325744814873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-46810480238533337462017-12-13T20:40:50.027+00:002017-12-13T20:40:50.027+00:00Actually I think you might be on to something ther...Actually I think you might be on to something there. My gran used to refer to people she thought were stupid as a 'clod' So given that 'div' is used in the same way there could be some progress on arriving at the etymology. I love British slang!antmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06475693764562406355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-48048996806872323892013-11-24T18:23:05.069+00:002013-11-24T18:23:05.069+00:00I thought it was a Bolton term. Another word for c...I thought it was a Bolton term. Another word for clod, (as in a sod of earth). Also known as a clot, a clumsy kid.jillyboncehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10286618333686053073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-15748161788180764102013-11-19T12:56:10.284+00:002013-11-19T12:56:10.284+00:00A seriously intersting collection of possible orig...A seriously intersting collection of possible origins! It was in common use when I was at secondary school in North Nottinghamshire (1961-69). At the time many pejoratives seemed to be derived from insulting references to "Geordies", the Irish and the seriouly poor and uneducated working class. Having some Irish connections I'd always assumed (without serious review) that "div" was related to the Irish prepositional pronoun "dibh" (pronounced "div") and its emphatic form "dibhsa" (pronounced "divsa"). It just means "of you" but I assumed it was the shorthand version of a longer insult... in reality its one of those words that probably has multiple origins... great blog though...David Marshallhttp://www.marshall.ienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-25582957131276732532013-06-28T16:00:07.320+01:002013-06-28T16:00:07.320+01:00It was used in an episode of "Only Fools and ...It was used in an episode of "Only Fools and Horses" first shown in 1981.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-45194080689372230372013-02-18T07:14:14.160+00:002013-02-18T07:14:14.160+00:00Although the timing offers no evidence, my first e...Although the timing offers no evidence, my first encounter of div and divvy in the derogatory sense was from Liverpool children in 1990. Until then, I had only heard it as "to divvy up" and the co-op divvy - and, sadly, as Div (capitalised), in my tensor calculus classes, short for Divergence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-77902437711371925932013-02-08T12:46:25.537+00:002013-02-08T12:46:25.537+00:00I was brought up in Chester and spent some time wa...I was brought up in Chester and spent some time watching my Father play cricket in the grounds of the Deva Hospital - not an inpatient I may add. <br /><br />As children we called each other Divvy or Div as a derogative term. But would also use it as to "Divvy Up" as markonsea mentioned.Linda Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12435049432020124058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-83459836908708805542013-02-01T12:06:24.069+00:002013-02-01T12:06:24.069+00:00Well, I don't know if that resolves or complic...Well, I don't know if that resolves or complicates matters. My slang dictionary had "divot" as 80s and Scots. <br /><br />Broken Biro's comment seems to make the Deva hospital much more likely. <br /><br />Elvis Brown, may I ask where you were brought up?M.H. Forsythhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01464964455944509750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-74219914423113853542013-01-31T21:04:51.604+00:002013-01-31T21:04:51.604+00:00I, too, remember divot and div from the late sixti...I, too, remember divot and div from the late sixties and early seventies in South Lincolnshire. I assumed that a divot was a variant on the theme of clod.Pattockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00741004991950391554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-68333142522145923712013-01-31T10:46:28.560+00:002013-01-31T10:46:28.560+00:00It was definitely in use when I was at school in 1...It was definitely in use when I was at school in 1970's Merseyside and I remember my mum (Liverpool) would refer to the Deva hospital in terms of mental illness: 'You'll send me to Deva!' as in 'You're driving me mad!' <br />I'm sure it must predate 'individual needs child' - that sounds far too politically correct for that era!broken birohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06233920262119205474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-10200413662721840532013-01-31T09:14:32.575+00:002013-01-31T09:14:32.575+00:00I remember when i was teaching Horticultural NVQ l...I remember when i was teaching Horticultural NVQ level 1/2 the students used to call them Not Valid Qualification whereas 'we' used the term Not Very Quick....<br /><br />Laurie -StourbridgeRantBoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13425410359312882937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-41867581890599433742013-01-31T01:35:07.632+00:002013-01-31T01:35:07.632+00:00Since we're all busily going off-topic, can I ...Since we're all busily going off-topic, can I just mention that the Dividend payments my mother used to collect from the Co-op back in the 50s were known as "the divvy"?<br /><br />I thank you.markonseanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-59950532169583680082013-01-31T00:32:29.630+00:002013-01-31T00:32:29.630+00:00I would have thought the same thing, but I'm g...I would have thought the same thing, but I'm guessing this is an across the pond div-ide. :)SandeeNChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05835920831404996017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-12767386960546236252013-01-31T00:31:17.398+00:002013-01-31T00:31:17.398+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.SandeeNChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05835920831404996017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-84710017590896053872013-01-30T23:44:58.233+00:002013-01-30T23:44:58.233+00:00Divvy, meaning to divide or share, was a common ex...Divvy, meaning to divide or share, was a common expression in the U.S. throughout the '50s, '60s and '70s and perhaps even still. As I recall it had no pejorative connotations.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-30872892447841399712013-01-30T20:28:13.194+00:002013-01-30T20:28:13.194+00:00I was born in 1950 and in my later childhood I can...I was born in 1950 and in my later childhood I can clearly remember a person being referred to as being "divvy" which meant simple, stupid or just plain thick. This was later shortened to them being "a div".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-23014492061139634892013-01-30T19:14:10.740+00:002013-01-30T19:14:10.740+00:00Not just you Phil. I remember kids being referred ...Not just you Phil. I remember kids being referred to as "divot" back in the late 60s, early 70s. Div was a later shortened version.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07728322950413680740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-4836598716153777622013-01-30T18:11:20.684+00:002013-01-30T18:11:20.684+00:00As children, we would call not-too-bright schoolma...As children, we would call not-too-bright schoolmates 'dibby'. It feels that this was derived from 'dizzy' or 'dopey' but not certain.<br /><br />Liverpool kid brought up in the East MidlandsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-65983490229059256412013-01-30T13:36:50.426+00:002013-01-30T13:36:50.426+00:00I remember it being used in the early 50's whe...I remember it being used in the early 50's when I was a child listening to my grandparents <i>divi-ing(sp)</i> up the proceeds of their winnings at bingo. I understood it to mean dividing/sharing between however many family members were there.<br /><br />This was post-war Lancashire cotton mill life :)<br /><br />Interesting topic - thank you!<br />Carole-AnnAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-28417151665065452872013-01-30T12:24:38.013+00:002013-01-30T12:24:38.013+00:00I always thought it was short for divot - A small ...I always thought it was short for divot - A small tuft of grass churned up by a bad golf swing. is that just me?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00580391421902405859noreply@blogger.com