Video summary
In this engaging segment from "Modern Wisdom," Jimmy Carr hosts a lively game where he challenges his guest to decipher obscure Victorian slang terms. The interaction begins with simple phrases like "tickety boo," which simply means something is in perfect order, before moving to more complex and humorous definitions such as "muffin waffler," an idle person who prefers eating cakes at home to cooking, and "church bell," a term for a young virgin or a woman whose voice sounds like a ringing bell. The game continues with words like "butter upon bacon," describing something that is too much of a good thing, and "mathicking," which refers to rowdy behavior in the streets. Throughout the guessing game, the participants navigate the quirks of historical language, often leading to funny misunderstandings where modern assumptions clash with archaic meanings, highlighting how easily words can be forgotten once they fall out of common usage.
Beyond the game itself, Jimmy Carr uses the discussion to reflect on the nature of the English language, describing it as a form of anarchy that evolves organically without a central governing body to dictate new rules or meanings. He expresses a strong preference for simple words over complex jargon, arguing that big ideas should be conveyed in small words and that simplicity is often a mark of true intelligence. This philosophy extends to his views on modern slang, which he finds unappealing when used excessively, particularly by women trying to impress men, as it can come across as artificial or pretentious. He contrasts this with the French Revolution's famous slogans, suggesting that just three powerful words were enough to spark a massive change, implying that language should remain direct and impactful rather than convoluted.
The conversation also touches on Jimmy Carr's approach to comedy and word choice, emphasizing that the rhythm and phrasing of a joke are crucial for creating mental images in an audience's mind. He shares his dislike for the term "stepdad," preferring a more descriptive alternative, and makes a witty observation about Donald Trump, noting that people were afraid to call him "Donald Duck" because they didn't want to sound stupid. These anecdotes illustrate his obsession with precise language and finding the right words to convey humor effectively. The segment concludes with a promotional message for Element, an electrolyte drink that Jimmy has used daily for five years to combat fatigue and support brain function, before inviting viewers to watch the full episode for more content.
Read the full video transcript
Given that we're talking about the UK.
>> Yeah.
>> Let's play a game of guess the Victorian
slang word. So, I'm going to say
different words from Victorian era
Britain and you're going to try and
guess what they mean. Okay.
>> Okay. Yeah. Lovely.
>> All right. First one. Tickety boo.
>> H. It just means good.
>> Something that is in perfect order or a
satisfactory condition. That's kind of
ticky boo. Everything ticky.
>> Muffin waloper.
Sure didn't know right. a muffin waller.
Uh fat.
>> I think it's a I think it's a it's a
sort of um rather stout gentleman who
enjoys muffins. Yeah.
>> An idol person.
>> We can't just kick on. You got to tell
us what a muffin waffler is.
>> That's what I'm saying. I'm I'm
literally describing it.
>> Oh, I thought you moved on to the next.
>> No, it's an idle person who sits at home
eating cakes and gossiping instead of
cooking.
>> A muffin waller. So, you should be
cooking, but instead you're sitting at
home eating cakes and gossiping.
>> Next one.
>> Church bell.
>> A church bell would be my would be my
guess there.
>> Slang. Okay. Um, church bell. Is it
Would it be an ugly person like you've
been hit by the church bell? Like a
quasimoto reference?
>> Oh, that's clever. But no,
>> I think it's this sounds I think it's a
young virgin.
church bell
>> a May Young Male Virgin. Yeah,
>> Harry's just gonna answer young virgin
for all
>> like
>> when did the young virgins come.
>> Pilington has that great bit which was
when he's watching University Challenge
cuz he can never guess the answer. Um he
just says egg each time because
statistically at some point he's going
to be right. He has a better chance of
just gentlemen. Gentlemen, I think we've
we've there's a method to the madness.
>> Church bell. I'm thinking a young sort
of sub
>> to the left of the organ master. There's
the man who rings the church bell. A
young 14-year-old.
>> Okay, that's actually way too clever. A
woman who talks so much her voice is
reminiscent of the ringing of a church
bell.
>> H.
>> Okay,
>> next one. Butter upon bacon.
>> Uh, it's uh is it like a hat on a hat?
It's too too much of a good thing. Yes.
Oh,
>> she's doing too much.
>> Yeah.
>> Butter on bacon.
>> It's butter on bacon. Yeah.
>> Uh, mathicking.
>> Maficking. You know what maficking is?
>> It sounds northern. Sounds northern. I'm
going to I'm going to go with
>> You're really good at this.
>> Some some level of incest.
>> Uh,
it could result in in it could result in
incest. A term for getting wildly rowdy
out in the streets.
>> Oh, I mean that's
>> you're mafikicking in Newcastle. micking
on the big market.
>> I love the jump from it sounds northern
to some level of incest. Yeah,
>> could be incest. Uh afternoonified.
>> Afternoonified.
>> You're slacking off. You're no longer
taking things seriously.
>> Yeah. Exhausted.
>> Someone or something that is highly
fashionable.
>> I wouldn't
>> afternoonified. I have to assume that
that's because you you only dress up in
the afternoon, right? You're
afternoonified,
>> right?
>> You wouldn't dress that way in the
morning.
>> You would just woken up. Uh, chuckaboo.
Chuckaboo. A dear friend. Dear friend,
chuckaboo. Uh, giggle mug. Someone who's
always smiling.
Uh, half rats.
Bit drunk.
>> Half rats. Okay. So, half rats. Not
rats. Just half rats.
>> Uh, evening wheezes. This should be
brought back. Evening wheezes should be
brought back. Means fake news.
It's
>> evening wheezes. Uh, and apparently it's
champagne weather means it's pouring or
raining.
Coffee sisters mean besties. So there we
go. Some Victorian slang for you.
>> Well, it is interesting like language
like to talk about this because that's
the same language. That's the English
language that we still use and those
words have gone. You never notice when
something disappears cuz it disappears
kind of becomes forgotten. But the idea
that it's the best example of anarchy,
the political system of anarchy is the
English language. There's no central
system for it. No one sits down and
goes, "That's a word. That's not a word.
We're changing the meaning of that." it
just organically sort of emergent from
the group. It's kind of perfect. And I
think a lot of solutions are like that.
You can't you can't do it from top down.
It just has to sort of let it happen.
>> What do you I mean, you spend your
entire time playing with the English
language. What have you come to think
about sort of how it's developed
recently?
>> How it's developed?
>> I don't I don't I don't like new words.
I mean, this is slightly tangential to
the question, but if I if I was on a
date, for example, and someone was using
lots of new vernacular, new words, I
would say, "It's been a great night."
You know, that's what I'd say. I I think
um simple words are the best words. Best
bet what's the what's the phrase? Um big
things are best said in small words.
>> Yeah.
>> Maybe like a a mark of intelligence.
Like if you can get across a complex
idea to a 5-year-old,
>> great. And if if you need incredibly
complex language, you're some kind of
hu. selling some [ __ ]
>> You've got an issue with like lead, 21st
century lead. And that would be if a
lady wants to bag Harry Dry.
She can't use too much modern slang.
>> I think
>> because she came out and started talking
tickity boo that' really get you going.
>> Unfortunately, I've watched Peep Show.
So for any fans of that show, they know
that word's a bit of a dear
>> bit of a turnoff. But
>> I I think I read once that the French
started a revolution with three words,
which are quite big words, but what was
it? egal egality, liberty, fraternity,
you know, and I I don't think you need
much more than that. You don't need much
more than that to sell soap if the
French are starting a revolution with
with just three words.
>> What's the best example of um
compression? It's like the most
simplest.
>> Oh, jeez. Um
the best the best example of
compression. Well, there's like a
two-word joke, dwarf shortage.
And I had a three-word joke which was
stationary store moves. He had the
sixword story.
>> Oh yeah. For sale. Yeah. Children's
shoes never worn.
>> Oh Jesus. Yeah. Brilliant. Brilliant.
>> How do you think about words, Jimmy, in
comedy? Do you think some words are just
funny or do do you obsess about word
choice when you're writing a joke?
>> Yeah, I I really do. I really think it's
it's kind of the phrasing. It's more the
rhythm of it, but sometimes it's the um
the phrasing like having the right word
for the thing and and conjuring up an
image is very important in people's
heads. So, you've got the kind of
concept that you you kind of I know this
thing's funny. How do I get that across
to someone else? So, it's about that
language, the the the purpose of
language of like conveying like getting
space in their head, getting into their
head and making them kind of making them
draw the cartoon.
>> Didn't you have stepdads?
[ __ ]
>> Yeah, that's good. Yeah, stepdad. I
don't like the term stepdad. I prefer to
say [ __ ] Yeah, it's nice. Just
take a moment to sort of step back from
it and go, "Yeah, that's
>> it was right there. It was right there
the whole I had a thing the other day
that I just thought, how's no one got to
this before? It was talking about that
Donald Trump came up. I said, "Yeah,
they tried to assassinate him and and
they very nearly did kill him because no
one could warn him because no one wanted
to sound stupid. No one wanted to shout
Donald Duck."
>> Very good. That's good. It was right
there, but you go, "How did no one
>> the palm of everyone's hands?
>> How did no one see that?" Sometimes it
feels like the joke is there. You're
just like getting getting rid of
everything else. A quick aside, you've
probably heard me talk about Element
before, and that's because I've started
every single morning the same way for
the last 5 years now, which is a cold
glass of water with Element in it.
Element is an electrolyte drink mixed
with everything that you need and
nothing that you don't. It's a
sciencebacked electrolyte ratio of
sodium, potassium, and magnesium. No
sugar, no coloring, no artificial
ingredients. It reduces muscle cramps
and fatigue, supports brain function,
and helps to regulate your appetite
throughout the day. I genuinely notice
the difference when I take it versus
when I don't, which is why I don't shut
up about it and also why it's used by
everyone from Dr. Andrew Humeman to
Olympic athletes and FBI sniper teams,
the the good sniper teams, not the bad
ones. Also, they have a no questions
asked refund policy. So, if you don't
like it for any reason, they'll just
give you your money back. Plus, they
offer free shipping in the US. Right
now, you can get a free sample pack of
Element's most popular flavors with your
first purchase by going to the link in
the description below, heading to
drinklnt.com/modern
wisdom. That's drinklnt.com/modern
wisdom. Thank you very much for tuning
in. If you enjoyed that clip, you will
love the fulllength episode in all of
its glory.
right here.
Come on, press it.