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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010Waugh: not certified yet
Hello: I'm not quite getting "I'm of age and not certified yet" as I am not sure what "being certified" meant then. ----- [Sebastian made life difficult for Samgrass during their trip to the Levant. He reports:] Of course he [Samgrass] was in a difficult position, because I'm of age and not certified yet, so he couldn't have me arrested. He couldn't leave me to starve ... Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited, p. 757 ---- -- Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited, p. 757 "Certified" was in the 1940s common British vernacular meaning "certified insane," so that someone's behavior could be controlled by someone else. Current usage seems to be "sectioned" alluding to Section No. ? of a law which provides for similar control.  SignatureDon Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) > Hello: > > I'm not quite getting > "I'm of age and not certified yet" Not yet certified as insane and of the age of majority. Therefore an enfranchised citizen. 'Certified' and 'certifiable' are UK euphemisms for 'mad'. >> Hello: >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > 'Certified' and 'certifiable' are UK euphemisms for 'mad'. As contrasted with US schoolteachers, who are "certificated". SignatureRoland Hutchinson He calls himself "the Garden State's leading violist da gamba," ... comparable to being ruler of an exceptionally small duchy. --Newark (NJ) Star Ledger ( http://tinyurl.com/RolandIsNJ ) >>> Hello: >>> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >As contrasted with US schoolteachers, who are "certificated". As are South African engineers, and, I believe, winding engine drivers. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >>>> Hello: >>>> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > As are South African engineers, and, I believe, winding engine drivers. US schooltechers, South African engineers and winding engine drivers-- now, _that's_ what I call a cocktail party! SignatureRoland Hutchinson He calls himself "the Garden State's leading violist da gamba," ... comparable to being ruler of an exceptionally small duchy. --Newark (NJ) Star Ledger ( http://tinyurl.com/RolandIsNJ ) >>>As contrasted with US schoolteachers, who are "certificated". >> >> As are South African engineers, and, I believe, winding engine drivers. > >US schooltechers, South African engineers and winding engine drivers-- >now, _that's_ what I call a cocktail party! The engineers would no doubt be drinking screwdrivers - what about the others? SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk On Dec 30, 8:33 am, Derek Turner <frde...@cesmail.net> wrote: > > I'm not quite getting > > "I'm of age and not certified yet" [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > 'Certified' and 'certifiable' are UK euphemisms for 'mad'. Ah, OK. Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > > I'm not quite getting > "I'm of age and not certified yet" > as I am not sure what "being certified" meant then. It means not certified (as insane) yet. Sebastian is joking that he's an adult and has not been declared legally incompetent yet so Samgrass hasn't any real power over him. On the other hand he is morally responsible for Sebastian so wouldn't be able to let too much harm come to him. > ----- > [Sebastian made life difficult for Samgrass during their trip to the [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited, p. 757 > ---- >Hello: > >I'm not quite getting >"I'm of age and not certified yet" >as I am not sure what "being certified" meant then. Not certified insane. Those certified insane could be detained at the asylum keeper's pleasure. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk >> Hello: >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Not certified insane. Those certified insane could be detained at the asylum > keeper's pleasure. And justly so. Why should Her Majesty have all the pleasure? SignaturePeter Moylan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. http://www.pmoylan.org For an e-mail address, see my web page. >>> I'm not quite getting >>> "I'm of age and not certified yet" [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >> > And justly so. Why should Her Majesty have all the pleasure? What's all this stuff about pleasuring Her Majesty, anyway? SignatureSkitt (AmE) > >>>> I'm not quite getting [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > What's all this stuff about pleasuring Her Majesty, anyway? We don't know. Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl, but she doesn't have a lot to say. SignaturePeter Moylan, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. http://www.pmoylan.org For an e-mail address, see my web page. >> >>>>> I'm not quite getting [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >We don't know. Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl, but she doesn't have a >lot to say. Perhaps in private HRH is a real chatterbox. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs, An American who lives near Dublin, Ireland and usually spells in BrE |
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