Talk:mine arse on a bandbox

RFV discussion: July 2015–April 2016
A famous entry in Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, but as far as I know with no actual usage in print. Ƿidsiþ 14:50, 19 July 2015 (UTC)


 * I find multiple uses, but all but one are by the same author (Dewey Lambdin), see, for example [this]. Other than that, I found [this], which still leaves us one short if you want three authors. Kiwima (talk) 00:39, 20 July 2015 (UTC)


 * Here's a "my arse on a bandbox" by another author (Maureen Jennings, Except the Dying, p. 305). "Ass in a bandbox" and "ass in the bandbox" also generate Google hits, although apparently with an unrelated meaning. -- · (talk) 21:51, 23 July 2015 (UTC)


 * It's also worth noting, I suppose, that, although Grose's dictionary dates from the 18th century, all of the above quotations are from contemporary works affecting old-timey language, so they constitute no real evidence of actual usage back in Grose's day (although contemporary usage still counts as some kind of usage). -- · (talk) 22:14, 23 July 2015 (UTC)
 * This hits upon a problem I wrote about at WT:RFC. - -sche (discuss) 00:31, 24 July 2015 (UTC)
 * Ah yes, -sche, we've been thinking along the same lines. -- · (talk) 18:57, 27 July 2015 (UTC)


 * There are three citations linked above: Jennings, Fo / Hood, and Lambdin. However, Lambdin seems to be using a different sense:


 * 2006, Dewey Lambdin, A King's Trade: An Alan Lewrie Naval Adventure, page 233:
 * “[...] equally spoken of as 'Black Alan' Lewrie, or 'Emancipation' Lewrie, and the Hero of the hour!” “Mine arse on a band-box if I am!” Lewrie shakily growled; he had no idea it would come to this!
 * And Fo may be using the expression literally:


 * 1994 (edition), Dario Fo, Elizabeth, page 120:
 * GROSSLADY: Mine arse on a bandbox for five acts ...
 * Likewise, Jennings is using a different sense:


 * 2012, Maureen Jennings, Except the Dying, page 304:
 * “I want to know who was in this room on Saturday last. I'm going to question every fat cull, and they can have my arse on a bandbox for all I care.”
 * - -sche (discuss) 18:34, 17 April 2016 (UTC)


 * Therefore RFV-failed. - -sche (discuss) 18:35, 17 April 2016 (UTC)