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MartinHorut Posted 18 years ago
Vocabulary

the lady's not for turning

0Hello, I've never been able to understand the part of M. Thatcher's 1980 speech where she says she "is not for turning." What does she mean by that and why is it supposed to be that funny. Thanks. 0-
  

Top answer

0 01blockquote 01cite 10martinHorut12cite 10Hello, I've never been able to understand the part of M. " What does she mean by that and why is it supposed to be that funny. 02br 02br 00Here is a more complete context:02br 00"To those waiting with bated breath for that favourite media catchphrase, the "U" turn, I have only one thing to say.

— RayH

  • 0 01blockquote 01cite 10martinHorut12cite 10Hello, I've never been able to understand the part of M.
  • " What does she mean by that and why is it supposed to be that funny.
  • 02br 02br 00Here is a more complete context:02br 00"To those waiting with bated breath for that favourite media catchphrase, the "U" turn, I have only one thing to say.
  • "You turn if you want to.
  • "02br 02br 00She is saying she will not turn from her stated policies.
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11 Answers
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0 01blockquote
01cite10martinHorut12cite10Hello, I've never been able to understand the part of M. Thatcher's 1980 speech where she says she "is not for turning." What does she mean by that and why is it supposed to be that funny. Thanks.12br
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10It's not funny and not meant to be.02br
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0 so the sentence that she is not for turning doesn't have any dual meaning?0-
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01cite10martinHorut12cite10 so the sentence that she is not for turning doesn't have any dual meaning?12br
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10Not that I'm aware of. If it has some double entendre in BrE I'm unaware of it.0-
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0 It's a word play on "The Lady's Not for Burning", a play by Fry.02br
05002br
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00You snooze, you lose! 02br
00CJ 0240hrefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lady%27s_Not_for_Burning
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0 CJ you beat me by just a matter of minutes. I was busy Googling to see who had written the play: Christopher Frye in 1948. 0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Philip12cite10you beat me by just a matter of minutes.12blockquote
10Then my "snooze, lose" aphorism was prophetic! 05002br
00Are you sure he spells it with that 01b00e02b00 on the end?02br
00CJ 010id1
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0 As a matter of fact, I'm sure he doesn't. 0-
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0Because he's dead? 050010id2
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in politics you have what's called a u-turn. it means that you have lost confidence and direction in what you are doing. the prime minister from 70-74, ted heath, tried to achieve what thatcher would go on to achieve in the 80s, but lost direction, and did a u-turn. in other words he gave up.

in 80, thatcher was experiencing lots of trouble trying to make changes to the country. she was
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Yes, it does. The phrase is a reference to the title of one of Christopher Marlowe's plays, "The Lady's not for Burning", which is about witchcraft.
Apt, really, coming from Thatcher.
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