Off topic: Lard & cat's boil
Автор темы: Valerijs Svincovs
Valerijs Svincovs
Valerijs Svincovs  Identity Verified
Латвия
Local time: 08:59
английский => латышский
+ ...
Apr 28, 2009

Hi everyone! Can anyone explain to me the meaning and origin of the phrase "putting lard on cat's boil"? As far as I understand, it is used as an excuse for not doing something, like in an example "Sorry for not shaking hands with you - I've been putting lard on cat's boil".
It comes up in Google, but there is no explanation.
Probably someone knows where it comes from, why is it exactly cat, does lard really cure boils, etc.
Thanks!!
V


 
Frederic Lievre
Frederic Lievre
Ирландия
Local time: 06:59
английский => французский
+ ...
Hm... Apr 28, 2009

Don't really know apart for the fact that it comes from the Monty Python:(The North Minehead Bye-Election)...

 
Marie-Hélène Hayles
Marie-Hélène Hayles  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:59
итальянский => английский
+ ...
Monty Python's Flying Circus Apr 28, 2009

I don't know whether you're familiar with Monty Python: it was a comedy series / team of comedians (John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam) from the late 60s and early 70s, which has been repeated about 10 zillion times because even 40 years later, it's still irresistably funny.

Anyway, th
... See more
I don't know whether you're familiar with Monty Python: it was a comedy series / team of comedians (John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam) from the late 60s and early 70s, which has been repeated about 10 zillion times because even 40 years later, it's still irresistably funny.

Anyway, this is a quote from episode 12:

http://www.ibras.dk/montypython/episode12.htm

It doesn't really mean anything, it's just a daft thing to say.

Monty Python have also made a few films: The Meaning of Life, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian (which was banned as blasphemous in a number of countries) and And now for Something Completely Different (collection of their most popular sketches). They're all widely available and well worth a look.

More information on Monty Python:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python



[Edited at 2009-04-28 17:58 GMT]

[Edited at 2009-04-28 17:58 GMT]
Collapse


 
Valerijs Svincovs
Valerijs Svincovs  Identity Verified
Латвия
Local time: 08:59
английский => латышский
+ ...
Автор темы
yes Apr 28, 2009

My question arose exactly while watching the "Hitler in England" episode
So apparently, the episode itself is the source of all the other references.
Thanks Marie!


 
foghorn
foghorn
английский => турецкий
+ ...
where it hurts Apr 29, 2009

i guess the cat would lick the lard off which would make obvious where it hurts. This, i guess, is the moral of it though i didn’t see that particular episode.

i can’t believe it’s just a “my hands are dirty”.

[Edited at 2009-04-29 12:27 GMT]


 
Erik Freitag
Erik Freitag  Identity Verified
Германия
Local time: 07:59
Член ProZ.com c 2006
голландский => немецкий
+ ...
Doesn't make sense Apr 29, 2009

foghorn wrote:

i guess the cat would lick the lard off which would make obvious where it hurts.


Now, how is that supposed to make any sense? No, don't try to interpret too much into it -- it's Monty Python!


 
Neil Cross
Neil Cross
Великобритания
Local time: 06:59
Член ProZ.com c 2006
голландский => английский
+ ...
Bouncy bouncy! Apr 29, 2009

I don't know what you lot are on about - it's a perfectly common English expression, used almost as frequently as "my hovercraft is full of eels".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6D1YI-41ao


 
Valerijs Svincovs
Valerijs Svincovs  Identity Verified
Латвия
Local time: 08:59
английский => латышский
+ ...
Автор темы
mein English old chum! Apr 29, 2009

Neil Cross wrote:

I don't know what you lot are on about - it's a perfectly common English expression, used almost as frequently as "my hovercraft is full of eels".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6D1YI-41ao


I realise that this Monty Python's gem does not deserve such a trivial discussion, but would you mind to confirm that this phrase DOES originate from Monty Python?
Google has let me down in this case. And I cannot think of anything else for the last three days!:D
V


 
Neil Cross
Neil Cross
Великобритания
Local time: 06:59
Член ProZ.com c 2006
голландский => английский
+ ...
Nudge Nudge Apr 30, 2009

valerius wrote:

I realise that this Monty Python's gem does not deserve such a trivial discussion, but would you mind to confirm that this phrase DOES originate from Monty Python?


Sorry squire, it's quite difficult to stay serious when discussing Monty Python. I am just a silly old leg-before-vicket English person.

Yes, to the best of my knowledge and belief, this phrase originated from the North Minehead by-election sketch.

Don't try putting lard on boils, feline or otherwise. It probably won't help...

N.


 
juvera
juvera  Identity Verified
Local time: 06:59
английский => венгерский
+ ...
Don't fret any more, here it is Apr 30, 2009

valerius wrote:
I realise that this Monty Python's gem does not deserve such a trivial discussion, but would you mind to confirm that this phrase DOES originate from Monty Python?
Google has let me down in this case. And I cannot think of anything else for the last three days!:D
V


Cut to a small, tatty, little boarding house.
SUPERIMPOSED CAPTION: 'A SMALL BOARDING HOUSE IN MINEHEAD, SOMERSET'

Mr and Mrs Johnson, a typical holidaying bourgeois couple walk up to the front door and ring the bell. Inside the boarding house, the landlady goes up to the front door and opens it.

Landlady: Hello, Mr and Mrs Johnson?
Mr Johnson: That's right. Yes.
Landlady: Well come on in, excuse me not shaking hands, I've just been putting a bit of lard on the cat's boil.
Johnson: Very nice.
Landlady: Well you must be tired, it's a long way from Coventry, isn't it?
Johnson: Well, we usually reckon on five and a half hours and it took us six hours and fifty-three minutes, with the twenty-five minute stop at Frampton...

http://www.ibras.dk/montypython/episode12.htm#5
The Minehead by-election

As often is the case with Monty Python's, poking fun of people talking and not listening, and the Pythons' obsession with the idiosyncrasies of boarding houses and their owners.

[Edited at 2009-04-30 15:18 GMT]


 
Marie-Hélène Hayles
Marie-Hélène Hayles  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:59
итальянский => английский
+ ...
[deleted] Apr 30, 2009

[deleted]

[Edited at 2009-04-30 16:43 GMT]


 
sassgabi
sassgabi
Венгрия
венгерский => английский
here it is, guys, the "landlady" meant it literally :) Nov 5, 2014

"A boil or 'Furuncle' is actually a pocket of pus, filled with bacteria or foreign matter under the skin surface. Cats generally get these localized bacterial skin infections in bite and claw wounds during fights. Even though a bite/wound might not leave any puncture on the skin; but it might lead to the development of painful boils underneath the skin surface. Boils on skin generally starts as a tender lump, and then eventually reddens and gets swollen with 'pus'. Sometimes, the pus might get d... See more
"A boil or 'Furuncle' is actually a pocket of pus, filled with bacteria or foreign matter under the skin surface. Cats generally get these localized bacterial skin infections in bite and claw wounds during fights. Even though a bite/wound might not leave any puncture on the skin; but it might lead to the development of painful boils underneath the skin surface. Boils on skin generally starts as a tender lump, and then eventually reddens and gets swollen with 'pus'. Sometimes, the pus might get drained on its own. If not; lancing the boils by a veterinarian becomes necessary. Read to know what causes boils in cats, and how to deal with boils with available home remedies. "

Source:

http://pets.iloveindia.com/cats/boils-on-cats.html

(2nd page in google search results)

cheers




[Edited at 2014-11-05 12:20 GMT]
Collapse


 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
Франция
Local time: 07:59
французский => английский
licking wounds Nov 6, 2014

I think it would make perfect sense to put lard on the boil, then the cat will lick it, and we all know that licking wounds is the best way to heal them.

Which doesn't make it any less funny: it really is TMI in this sort of situation and it makes you wonder whether she would wash her hands before doing anything else, and the absence of reaction from the guests is pretty zany too: idiot Brits taking stuff in their stride with a stiff upper lip and all that.

Dead parrot
... See more
I think it would make perfect sense to put lard on the boil, then the cat will lick it, and we all know that licking wounds is the best way to heal them.

Which doesn't make it any less funny: it really is TMI in this sort of situation and it makes you wonder whether she would wash her hands before doing anything else, and the absence of reaction from the guests is pretty zany too: idiot Brits taking stuff in their stride with a stiff upper lip and all that.

Dead parrot anyone?
Collapse


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Модератор(ы) этого форума
Fernanda Rocha[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Lard & cat's boil






Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »
Trados Studio 2022 Freelance
The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.

Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

More info »