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 #2 (permalink) Tue Jul 15, 2008 15:20 pm the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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| Jack (like Tom, for example) is a widespread name and is employed in many combinations and fixed expressions. |
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 Pamela
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| #3 (permalink) Tue Jul 15, 2008 17:39 pm the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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In the old days, "Jack" was a common name in English (although it's not as common now). The name was just used to mean "guy", so "jack-in-the-box" just means a guy in a box; "jack-o-lantern" comes from "Jack of the lantern", which just means a guy who is a lantern. A "jack of all trades" means some guy who practices several professions. A lumberjack is a guy who cuts down trees. A steeplejack is a guy who climbs to the very high points of buildings and repairs them. You can interpret Jack in these expressions as just meaning "some guy".
In the United States, we now use the name Joe to form expressions like this. "Joe Average" means the average person. "Joe Lunchbucket" means the average working-class citizen.
Sometimes we use other names too. |
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Jamie (K)
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| #4 (permalink) Tue Jul 15, 2008 21:02 pm the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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| Jamie (K) wrote: |
In the old days, "Jack" was a common name in English (although it's not as common now). The name was just used to mean "guy", so "jack-in-the-box" just means a guy in a box; "jack-o-lantern" comes from "Jack of the lantern", which just means a guy who is a lantern. A "jack of all trades" means some guy who practices several professions. A lumberjack is a guy who cuts down trees. A steeplejack is a guy who climbs to the very high points of buildings and repairs them. You can interpret Jack in these expressions as just meaning "some guy".
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This is too good an opportunity to pass up. :P
Therefor, a jackass then was some guy who... :lol:
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Skrej
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| #5 (permalink) Tue Jul 15, 2008 21:35 pm the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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| Skrej wrote: |
| Therefor, a jackass then was some guy who... :lol: |
:lol:
Unfortunately the word 'highjack' does not refer to some guy who is ...
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Lest I be misunderstood, I'd like to add that I do agree with Jamie's examples.
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Yankee
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| #6 (permalink) Tue Jul 15, 2008 22:23 pm the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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Jack is used as a verb, too.
I believe you can say something like this:
1. The gang jacked me up in a dark alley (robbed)
2. The cops jacked me (arrested)
Lest my examples be wrong, I'd like native speakers to share their views on those usages, please :) |
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Lost_Soul
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| #7 (permalink) Tue Jul 15, 2008 22:46 pm the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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You can also say "You don't know Jack" which means as much as "You don't know anything".
In Ireland, the 'jacks' is a colloquial word for 'toilette'. "Where are the jacks, Jimmy?" - "Downstairs and then right".
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Ralf
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| #8 (permalink) Tue Jul 15, 2008 23:37 pm the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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| Ralf wrote: |
| In Ireland, the 'jacks' is a colloquial word for 'toilette'. "Where are the jacks, Jimmy?" - "Downstairs and then right". |
Well, you call them by their nickname. In the US we use their formal name, "john".
"John", by the way, is also what we call a customer of a prostitute. |
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Jamie (K)
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| #9 (permalink) Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:49 am the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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Sometimes we call them jakes, too...
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Skrej
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| #10 (permalink) Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:41 am the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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| Skrej wrote: |
| Sometimes we call them jakes, too... |
That's because Generations X and Y have more Jakes than Johns. In 25 years they'll probably be called Austins. |
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Jamie (K)
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| #11 (permalink) Wed Jul 16, 2008 4:04 am the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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May I offer some expressions involving Jack? According to some list:
A good Jack makes a good Gill.
All shall be well, and Jack shall have Jill.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
ball the jack
before one can say Jack Robinson
black jack
cheap jack(cheap john)
climb like a steeple jack
gunnery jack
makes one's jack
play the jack
tear up jack
Union Jack
yellow jack
Jack among the maids
Jack and Jill
Jack at a pinch
Jack Frost
Jack Horner
jack in
Jack in the low cellar
Jack in the water
Jack is as good as his master.
Jack Johnson
Jack Ketch
Jack of all trades and master of none.
Jack of both sides
Jack of the clock
Jack out of office
Jack Sprat
jack tar
jack up
(not including some dirty ones) |
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Haihao
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| #12 (permalink) Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:20 am the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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| Jamie (K) wrote: |
| Skrej wrote: |
| Sometimes we call them jakes, too... |
That's because Generations X and Y have more Jakes than Johns. In 25 years they'll probably be called Austins. |
By then the feminazis will have us using a gender neutral name like Jessie...or...Jamie.
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Skrej
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| #13 (permalink) Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:56 am the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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| Skrej wrote: |
| Jamie (K) wrote: |
| Skrej wrote: |
| Sometimes we call them jakes, too... |
That's because Generations X and Y have more Jakes than Johns. In 25 years they'll probably be called Austins. |
By then the feminazis will have us using a gender neutral name like Jessie...or...Jamie. |
The feminazis don't like making that type of thing gender neutral. If it's derogatory, they prefer to keep it masculine. |
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Jamie (K)
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| #14 (permalink) Wed Jul 16, 2008 13:45 pm the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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| Jamie (K) wrote: |
| The feminazis don't like making that type of thing gender neutral. If it's derogatory, they prefer to keep it masculine. |
Feminazis?
What would you make of a white man pretending to be a black woman? Would this likely be a radical defender of equal rights? Or would this more likely be someone who wants to stereotype defenders of equal rights as being overly radical? Or would this simply be an individual with some sort of severe personal problem?
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Yankee
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| #15 (permalink) Wed Jul 16, 2008 15:00 pm the use of 'Jack' in English words |
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What about "for Pete's sake!". The same thing?
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| Difference between "can not" and "cannot" | use of the verb "lack" |
