General Chat

sheeeshhhh? What kind of expression is that....sounds very transatlantic to me? lol ;)

I use 'back and forth', I have no idea what that makes me, raised in London, lived all over UK and abroad.

Just the first descriptive I would use.

Sue

sheeeshhhh

I was " backwards & forwards like a blue arsed fly

Wmsl...this is getting knot tyingly complicated. and anyone looking in will look out just as quickly.

Slaps Allan with a wet fish!

aah, that's a common expression....

maybe I'm not so common after all because I don't use that expression ;) lol

would you just use the "back and forth" part in isolation or only as part of that expression?

Devil's Advocate

Shouldn't the expression be 'forth and back', or forwards and backwards, because you cannot return from a place until you have arrived there?

Just a thought. A stupid one, but a thought nevertheless.

Allan

If i was only going or went to the kitchen once . then i say , i went in the kitchen . or i'm going in the kitchen
Now... if for example i was in & out making tea all night i'd say .

I've been back & forth like a blue arsed fly ... lol

Karen xx

so Karen, just out of interest, what do you say?

There has to be a 'to' in there even if it isn't grammatically correct - it's what would be said!
'I was to-ing and fro-ing to the bathroom'

He was back & forth to the bathroom all night

as a common Northerner...back and forth does look a bit posh when you write it down lol

I just say I was going in and out of the kitchen. Why the need to mention the other room?

Can't be doing with all the to-ing and fro-ing or back and forthing lol

Edit: sorry Janey - we're quite regional up here, lol

pmsl

I just wouldn't say

" i was to -ing & fro -wing .. to & fro nahhhh not for me it just doesn't sound right lol

Karen 0))

Lol Karen

But I can just see Janey asking if the following sentence made sense.

I was to and fro the bathroom like a, *whatever you said*. fly.

So before she does......No! lol

Susan, I also use 'passed wind' (in 'polite' company - or blame it on the dog!!) LOL
Surely you GO back and forth, or something MOVES back and forth.
It means to constantly move from one place to another - like a pendulum moves back and forth.
'To and Fro' is interchangeable with 'back and forth.

I was back & forth to the bathroom like a blue arsed fly .

ie ,
running there & back repeatedly

Karen xx

and you wouldn't say that you were back and forthing...would you? lol

Sheesh! I did say this could go on for ever......do you really need to know Janey....Is the bet worth it? :-))))

Hi Susanwithnumbers

In my context I can give a good example:

On Thursday night I was constantly to-ing and fro-ing to the bathroom.

On this occasion I had a gyppy tummy so the fact that I was in bed the expression, although not explicit, would be taken to mean constantly going to the bathroom from my bed (we have an ensuite) and then returing to the bed. This action taking place several times, not just once.

For a single journey I would 'go to the bathroom'

There does not have to be a specific destination.

For example "I heard him to-ing and fro-ing all night" To where does not matter, just that someone was constanly moving around

And I'll bet Janey will cut my reasoning to shreds within ten seconds :0))

Allan

Lol Allan

I think Janey may be wanting to know in what context it is used.

The way she is using it doesn't make sense to any of us.

She is doing a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between threads and TV though :-))



I have never used either of those words Maggie lol. I use the phrase pass, passed, or passing wind.

On a more basic note - I've never used the word 'trump' for letting wind.
A few weeks ago, I was around my daughters house , she was heavily pregnant and was sitting on a big ball which made a farting sound when she moved.
She moved - 2 year old grandson looked at me and said 'trump' I said 'no-one's trumped it was mummy's ball.
Daughter moved again - the ball let out a long 'parping; sound - grandson looked at me with a glint in his eye 'Granny trumped', I explained that grannies don't trump - unfortunately the name seems to have stuck.

I couldn't explain that this granny doesn't trump - she parps, farts, has a botty burp, or breaks wind - I have never 'trumped'!!

Grandson's father is also a 'southerner' and also uses the expression 'Back & forth' - but, don't know if this is relevant - his father is from Liverpool -

Another vote tor t0-ing and fro-ing

I'm was born in Northern England, and my parents always used the phrase.

I now live in the Colonies (Aus) and it's a b*gger trying to teach the natives 'ow to speak reet!

:0))

Allan

Hi Janey ,

I'm a Scouser " a posh one " lol
Liverpool born n bred


Karen xx