Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id KAA10308 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Mon, 12 Feb 2001 10:41:57 GMT Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745C57@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Blue Peter. Was: Sources of novelty Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 10:41:10 -0000 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Robin is correct on all his points- just to add the programme, which is
around 30 years old, continues to have roughly the same logo and theme music
(albeit slighty modernised).
I would expect the whist usage derived from naval language as well, assuming
it's a Brit-invented card game. There's so much in the Englihs language that
derives from naval terminology or practices (e.g. the idea of a square meal,
apparently).
Vincent
> ----------
> From: Robin Faichney
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 6:39 pm
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: Re: Blue Peter. Was: Sources of novelty
>
> On Sat, Feb 10, 2001 at 06:54:16AM -0800, Bill Spight wrote:
> > Dear Vincent,
> >
> > > (My mind is
> > > instantly drawn to Blue Peter and all those uses for old cereal
> packets and
> > > washing-up liquid bottles (for our non-Brits, this is a long running
> > > children's TV show)).
> >
> > Now there is an expression, "Blue Peter," that I had heard before. It
> > was a carding signal in whist that passed over into bridge, where it
> > became known simply as a peter. It has a verb form, too, to peter.
> >
> > Is Blue Peter a character on "Blue Peter"?
> >
> > Does anybody know the history of the expression, "Blue Peter"? I would
> > not be surprised if it antedates whist, particularly since it has shown
> > up in children's television.
>
> Blue Peter: a blue flag with a white rectangle hoist when a ship is
> about to sail: a call for trumps in whist...
>
> >From my Chambers Concise Dictionary. The TV programme had a sailing ship
> for its logo, and a naval-seeming hornpipe or such as its signature tune.
> (I believe the prog survives, but I don't know about its logo and tune.)
> I'd guess the whist usage derives from the same source, but it would be
> interesting to know exactly how it came about.
>
> --
> Robin Faichney
> robin@reborntechnology.co.uk
>
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This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
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For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
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