but who is or was larry? where did this term/ saying come from?
2006-09-09 04:42:25 · 12 answers · asked by john f 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
Apparently the origin is uncertain. It started in Australia and/or New Zealand in the 19th century. It may refer to a boxer or to the British term "larrie." See the link below for more information.
2006-09-09 04:49:45 · answer #1 · answered by bunstihl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You'll have to take that up with Larry when you find him. "Happy as Larry" is a British-Australian catch phrase that simply means "extremely happy" or "very pleased with the way things are going." The Rural-American equivalent of "happy as Larry" (although my rendition will be a bit sanitized for family consumption) would be "happy as a pig in mud."
Since "happy as Larry" is a phrase native to the Commonwealth, it's not surprising that you've heard it largely from English friends. And since "Chicken Run" (a currently popular film starring animated clay chickens in a sort of avian parody of "Stalag 17") was directed by the British responsible for the "Wallace and Gromit" movies, use of the phrase in its screenplay is no surprise either.
Unfortunately, there is a conspicuous lack of verifiable information about "happy as Larry." The phrase seems to have originated in Australia around the end of the 19th century, and first appeared in print (as far as we know so far) in 1905. The leading theory is that "happy as Larry" originally referred to the Australian boxer Larry Foley (1847-1917), but no one seems to know if, when or why boxer Larry would have been happy enough to inspire a popular saying of such remarkable longevity.
2006-09-12 08:02:40 · answer #2 · answered by VelvetRose 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are two commonly repeated contenders for the derivation. One is that it refers to the Australian boxer Larry Foley (1847 - 1917). Foley was a successful boxer who never lost a fight. He retired at 32 and collected a purse of £1,000 for his final fight. So, we can expect that he was known to be happy with his lot in the 1870s - just when the phrase is first cited.
The alternative explanation is that it relates to the Cornish and later Australian/New Zealand slang term larrikin, meaning a rough type or hooligan, i.e. one predisposed to larking about. Larrikin would also have been a term that Meredith would have known. The earliest citation of that is also from New Zealand and also around the time of the first citation, in H. W. Harper's, 'Letters from New Zealand', 1868:
2006-09-09 11:47:08 · answer #3 · answered by any 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Louge Lizzards.
Awesome game from Sierra.
Adults only
2006-09-09 11:45:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I not sure where the saying comes from - but I know Larry and he is not that happy!@
2006-09-09 14:41:53 · answer #5 · answered by nswblue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Although the expression has been attributed to an actual person, like the Australian boxer Larry Foley (1847-1917), it most likely came from ancient English dialect: "Larrie" meant joking, jesting, a practical joke...
2006-09-09 11:50:55 · answer #6 · answered by Pedro ST 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Is that the Larry from three stoogers, Larry Curely and Moe!!???
Maybe his name is in first in the order.. and all of them are happy (silly one anyway)
2006-09-09 12:24:19 · answer #7 · answered by YourDreamDoc 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The real question is 'how happy is Larry?' - He might be a manic depressive.
2006-09-11 05:25:10 · answer #8 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Larry said he was happy when I felt him too ;-)
2006-09-09 11:48:55 · answer #9 · answered by Away With The Fairies 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i havnt got a clue but av nvr used tht sayn itz kinda siilli
2006-09-09 11:48:31 · answer #10 · answered by michaelizdabest 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋