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Phrases coined by J.G.Harston

I may have coined these phrases. Some of them I have used them since the early 1980s, and certainly in conversations at University in the late 1980s. I have not found any references to them prior to my usage.

Nouveau Middle-Class (sing), Nouveaux Middle-Class (pl)

Those who have quickly or suddenly entered the middle class from a lower social backgound. Generally a 1970s phenomenem. Typified by Rodney Bewes' character Bob Ferris in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? and the characters in the play Abigail's Party. The phrase refers particularly to those who live and behave not in a manner that would be described as middle class, but in a manner that they believe is what is middle class.

Compare with Nouveau Riche in the 1980s, those who have quickly or suddenly become wealthy, characatured as being obnoxious, as exemplified by Harry Enfield's characters [names?] with the catch-phrase "Oi am considerably richer than yoi"

I remember using Nouveau Middle-Class in the mid-1980s.

The British Isles - everything north of France at low tide

A definition of the British Isles to emphasise that all the islands north of France make up the British Isles. Emphasises that the Channel Islands just north of France and the island of Ireland are part of the British isles. The reference to low tide is to exclude those islands on the French coast that are connected to the mainland at low tide, such as Mont St. Michele. A slightly flawed definition as it implies that the Faeros and Iceland are part of the British Isles, but used to emphasis that the British Isles is more that just Great Britain - the largest of the British Isles - or the United Kingdom - which comprises parts of most of the Isles, but not all of them, particularly the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

I first used this phrase in 1988 when explaining to Japanese students at Stirling University the geography and political bodies in the British Isles.

Probably not coined by me, but used since early 1980s

Computographer

Remantle

Opposite of dismantle
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