That's right, it was always applied to boys and men, never girls as far as I can recall. I think we spell it 'mush' because it rhymes exactly with the word bush. Not moo sh like a drooling cow, by the way. In my experience it was mostly used in a friendly jocular fashion, but also sometimes in a threatening way 'Look here mush...' I'm pretty sure it was used in my youth in Portsmouth, and also in the Wiltshire village I spent some school days in. Just how far ranging is it I wonder? Dave Jacobs, Southampton =================== At 21:35 16/09/2004, Alandra wrote: >Remember my dad and uncles calling each other "Mush" when we lived in >Midanbury, Southampton, many years ago. But think we should explain the >pronunciation for people in North America, and other places, who might not >know that it's pronounced "Moosh", not "mush". Out here, "mush" is slang >for "porridge/oatmeal, or cornmeal "mush" LOL. >Alandra, British Columbia, Canada, born and raised in Hampshire >----- Original Message ----- >From: "sbolt" <sbolt@beeb.net> >To: <ENG-SOUTHAMPTON-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 12:56 PM >Subject: Re: [ENG-SOU] RE: ENG-SOUTHAMPTON-D Digest V04 #150 > > > > And I thought it was just a Sholing term of endearment! > > > > Sara > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Brian" <beejaycave@btinternet.com> > > To: <ENG-SOUTHAMPTON-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 8:01 AM > > Subject: Re: [ENG-SOU] RE: ENG-SOUTHAMPTON-D Digest V04 #150 > > > > > > > Chris & Caroline wrote, "Love the email addy Mush!! Proper 'Ampshire >that > > > is!! (Isn't it!)" > > > > > > Well, maybe - but I always thought it was a 'silig' Sussex endearment - > > them > > > as is strong in arm and thick in 'ead! <grin> > > > > > > Regards > > > Brian > > > > > > Incoming mail is certified Virus Free > > > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com) > > > Version 6.0.760 Virus Database 509 - Release Date: 10/09/2004 > > > > > > ______________________________ > > > > > > > > ============================== > > You can manage your RootsWeb-Review subscription from > > http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ > > > > > > > >============================== >Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration >Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237

Well, now we are getting into the discrepancies in the English language : ) with lovely drooling cows as illustrations, too funny. Not that it's important, but meant to post again to be more specific about the pronunciation of the word "mush". -- was going to add later that it rhymed with "push", but didn't get round to it. Was expecting someone to correct me : ) - that is, if anyone even noticed. Was trying to be sure that people didn't think it had the "soft U', as in "up", so over-corrected somewhat I guess, -- (as if anyone might be even interested : ) But since you commented on this, Dave, -- As with many words in the English language, - there are always exceptions to the rule, - for example, how about the word "Rush" ?? It looks like "bush" and "push" but doesn't sound like those examples. "Rush" rhymes exactly with "Mush", right? -- the porridge type I mean : ) but not with "your" Mush, the form of male endearment towards each other. Alandra, BC, Canada ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Jacobs" <Dave@Jacobs.net> To: <ENG-SOUTHAMPTON-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 10:09 AM Subject: [ENG-SOU] MUSH > That's right, it was always applied to boys and men, never girls as far as > I can recall. > I think we spell it 'mush' because it rhymes exactly with the word bush. > Not moo sh like a drooling cow, by the way. > In my experience it was mostly used in a friendly jocular fashion, but also > sometimes in a threatening way 'Look here mush...' > I'm pretty sure it was used in my youth in Portsmouth, and also in the > Wiltshire village I spent some school days in. Just how far ranging is it > I wonder? > > Dave Jacobs, Southampton > =================== > > At 21:35 16/09/2004, Alandra wrote: > >Remember my dad and uncles calling each other "Mush" when we lived in > >Midanbury, Southampton, many years ago. But think we should explain the > >pronunciation for people in North America, and other places, who might not > >know that it's pronounced "Moosh", not "mush". Out here, "mush" is slang > >for "porridge/oatmeal, or cornmeal "mush" LOL. > >Alandra, British Columbia, Canada, born and raised in Hampshire > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "sbolt" <sbolt@beeb.net> > >To: <ENG-SOUTHAMPTON-L@rootsweb.com> > >Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 12:56 PM > >Subject: Re: [ENG-SOU] RE: ENG-SOUTHAMPTON-D Digest V04 #150 > > > > > > > And I thought it was just a Sholing term of endearment! > > > > > > Sara > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Brian" <beejaycave@btinternet.com> > > > To: <ENG-SOUTHAMPTON-L@rootsweb.com> > > > Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 8:01 AM > > > Subject: Re: [ENG-SOU] RE: ENG-SOUTHAMPTON-D Digest V04 #150 > > > > > > > > > > Chris & Caroline wrote, "Love the email addy Mush!! Proper 'Ampshire > >that > > > > is!! (Isn't it!)" > > > > > > > > Well, maybe - but I always thought it was a 'silig' Sussex endearment - > > > them > > > > as is strong in arm and thick in 'ead! <grin> > > > > > > > > Regards > > > > Brian > > > > > > > > Incoming mail is certified Virus Free > > > > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com) > > > > Version 6.0.760 Virus Database 509 - Release Date: 10/09/2004 > > > > > > > > ______________________________ > > > > > > > > > > > > ============================== > > > You can manage your RootsWeb-Review subscription from > > > http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > >============================== > >Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > >Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > > > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 >