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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Crocodile meaning a line formed (for BrE natives)
I have just started, and stained the pages with dip after shelling out the bucks for the hardcopy edition, Byatt's charming collection, LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF STORIES, and she repeatedly calls a line of people a crocodile, re:
"They had come with a group, walking in a chattering crocodile behind a guide," (p20)
and I'd like to know if this is her particular whimsy or do Britons actually refer to a line of people in such a fashion?
Her tone reminds me, for all the world, of Russell Hoban's TURTLE DIARY, which was published long before Byatt emerged, though much beloved here.
Joanne
/
"They had come with a group, walking in a chattering crocodile behind a guide," (p20)
and I'd like to know if this is her particular whimsy or do Britons actually refer to a line of people in such a fashion?
Her tone reminds me, for all the world, of Russell Hoban's TURTLE DIARY, which was published long before Byatt emerged, though much beloved here.
Joanne
/
Top answer
net> typed thus: [nq:1]I have just started, and stained the pages with dip after shelling out the bucks for the hardcopy edition, Byatt's ... [/nq] This is perfectly true and is a fairly reliable British English Speaker marker. Were the chattering group children?
- net> typed thus: [nq:1]I have just started, and stained the pages with dip after shelling out the bucks for the hardcopy edition, Byatt's ...
- [/nq] This is perfectly true and is a fairly reliable British English Speaker marker.
- Were the chattering group children?
- The word is rarely used of adults; it normally refers to children walking in pairs (often holding hands) with am adult at the front and another at the rear.
- It's a safe way of moving a large number of children on foot from one location to another.
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24 Answers
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"Joanne Marinelli" @att.net> typed thus:
[nq:1]I have just started, and stained the pages with dip after shelling out the bucks for the hardcopy edition, Byatt's ... if this is her particular whimsy or do Britons actually refer to a line of people in such a fashion?[/nq]
This is perfectly true and is a fairly reliable British English Speaker marker. Were the chattering group children? T
[nq:1]I have just started, and stained the pages with dip after shelling out the bucks for the hardcopy edition, Byatt's ... if this is her particular whimsy or do Britons actually refer to a line of people in such a fashion?[/nq]
This is perfectly true and is a fairly reliable British English Speaker marker. Were the chattering group children? T
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[nq:1]I have just started, and stained the pages with dip after shelling out the bucks for the hardcopy edition, Byatt's ... the world, of Russell Hoban's TURTLE DIARY, which was published long before Byatt emerged, though much beloved here. Joanne [/nq]
Moovement has to be involved. It's usually only used in connection with elementary school children; you form a crocodile in twos with teacher
Moovement has to be involved. It's usually only used in connection with elementary school children; you form a crocodile in twos with teacher
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[nq:2]I have just started, and stained the pages with dip ... long before Byatt emerged, though much beloved here. Joanne [/nq]
[nq:1]Moovement has to be involved. It's usually only used in connection with elementary school children; you form a crocodile in ... are taken anywhere out of school in a group. People waiting in a line for something are a queue. DC[/nq]
Wow, neat. Now I know she
[nq:1]Moovement has to be involved. It's usually only used in connection with elementary school children; you form a crocodile in ... are taken anywhere out of school in a group. People waiting in a line for something are a queue. DC[/nq]
Wow, neat. Now I know she
00
[nq:2]I have just started, and stained the pages with dip ... long before Byatt emerged, though much beloved here. Joanne [/nq]
[nq:1]Moovement has to be involved. It's usually only used in connection with elementary school children; you form a crocodile in ... children are taken anywhere out of school in a group. People waiting in a line for something are a queue.[/nq]
If moovement is inv
[nq:1]Moovement has to be involved. It's usually only used in connection with elementary school children; you form a crocodile in ... children are taken anywhere out of school in a group. People waiting in a line for something are a queue.[/nq]
If moovement is inv
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[nq:1]BLACK[/nq]
[nq:2]Moovement has to be involved. It's usually only used in ... waiting in a line for something are a queue. DC[/nq]
[nq:1]Wow, neat. Now I know she isn't being pretentious! Yes, the first story involves children waiting or moving in line. I've never heard the expression before.[/nq]
There is a more recent variant of the crocodile - the "walking bus".
As a p
[nq:2]Moovement has to be involved. It's usually only used in ... waiting in a line for something are a queue. DC[/nq]
[nq:1]Wow, neat. Now I know she isn't being pretentious! Yes, the first story involves children waiting or moving in line. I've never heard the expression before.[/nq]
There is a more recent variant of the crocodile - the "walking bus".
As a p
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[nq:2]Moovement has to be involved. It's usually only used in ... People waiting in a line for something are a queue.[/nq]
[nq:1]If moovement is involved, wouldn't it better be called a cow than a crocodile?[/nq]
Oopps. Anyway kids would look stupid walking down the street in a cow.
DC
[nq:1]If moovement is involved, wouldn't it better be called a cow than a crocodile?[/nq]
Oopps. Anyway kids would look stupid walking down the street in a cow.
DC
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[nq:2]If moovement is involved, wouldn't it better be called a cow than a crocodile?[/nq]
[nq:1]Oopps. Anyway kids would look stupid walking down the street in a cow.[/nq]
Quite. Millipede or centipede might be more descriptive terms.
Peter Duncanson
UK
(posting from a.e.u)
[nq:1]Oopps. Anyway kids would look stupid walking down the street in a cow.[/nq]
Quite. Millipede or centipede might be more descriptive terms.
Peter Duncanson
UK
(posting from a.e.u)
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[nq:2]If moovement is involved, wouldn't it better be called a cow than a crocodile?[/nq]
[nq:1]Oopps. Anyway kids would look stupid walking down the street in a cow.[/nq]
Why not a panto cow when they want to horse around?
[nq:1]Oopps. Anyway kids would look stupid walking down the street in a cow.[/nq]
Why not a panto cow when they want to horse around?
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[nq:1]I have just started, and stained the pages with dip after shelling out the bucks for the hardcopy edition, Byatt's ... Russell Hoban's TURTLE DIARY, which was published long before Byatt emerged, though much beloved here. Joanne http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DisabilityinArts/Yes, we do.[/nq]
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Well, I skimmed over the "two and two" as a simple variation on my "two by two".
Two by two, they go marching through. . .
(Is it "Sweethearts on parade"?)
What song was that in? Something by Victor Herbert, I'll warrant.
Two by two, they go marching through. . .
(Is it "Sweethearts on parade"?)
What song was that in? Something by Victor Herbert, I'll warrant.
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