argy-bargy

Question

It seems 'argy-bargy' is BrE.I wonder what is the American equivalent.Thank you.

Khoff · Accepted Answer

Could you give us a little hint as to what it means?

Itasan · Answer

Sorry. Maybe I should have posted the meaning first.

LDCE: BrE informal noisy arguments or quarrelling: Jones was sent off after a bit of argy-bargy with other players.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Perhaps in N. America, we might just speak of a 'noisy argument'.

I believe 'argy-bargy' is derived from the word 'argument'. It's things like this that make me wonder if BrE is more colourful. Possibly someone else from N. America may yet come up with a matching term.

Do British people still actually say this? On TV, I hear 'a bit of bother (buvver)'.

Best wishes, Clive

CalifJim · Answer

after a bit of argy-bargy with other players

after a bit of a dust-up with other players ?

Wchris · Answer

I remember the "argument" between Britain anf Argentina over the Falkland Islands being described as a "bit of an Argy-bargy". An example of the habit of playing with words that is so popular with newspaper headline writers here in UK.

TeacherBrian · Answer

This doesn't help you with regard to an American equivalent, but it may be interesting...

Argy-bargy (also argie-bargie, argle-bargle) noun, UK informal, originated in the 1800s:-
1) loud argument or disagreement which is not usually serious
2) lively discussion, argument, dispute
e.g. "There was a lot of shouting in the street late last night. I looked out the window and it was our next-door neighbours having an argy-bargy."

Argy-bargy is an example of a BrE rhyming pair of words.
A "rhyming pair" structure is sometimes used to emphasise the meaning of one of the words or it is simply an appropriate rhyming pair of words, a rhyming expression, that has come into common usage. The individual words may not be words by themselves, but may be based on a similar sounding word.

In this case 'argy' is from argument, 'bargy' is just a rhyming sound.

There are many rhyming pairs of words in BrE. Most, if not all, of them are informal.
Here are a few more with their current meanings...

fuddy-duddy (adj, n) =old-fashioned, or quaintly fussy.
"My friend doesn't go to clubs. She's a bit of a fuddy-duddy."
hoity-toity (adj) = prideful, snobbish, haughty.
"The mayor of this town doesn't speak to us ordinary folk. He's very hoity-tioty."
okie dokie (adj, adv) = O.K.
"Could be call me back later, I'm on another call at the moment." "Okie dokie."
teenie weenie [also teeny-weeny, teensy-weensy] (adj.) = very small, from "tiny".
"She wore an itsy-bitsy, teenie-weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini!"

In BrE we often play with words like this. Shakespeare did it. We do it.

argy-bargy

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