There is a greeting around the East Midlands of the UK (Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire etc) which is "Ey up me duck". Basically this means "Hello mate". or "Hello my dear". What is the origin of this phrase and in particular, why is "duck" used for "mate" or "dear"? This has been puzzling me for a long time!
2006-09-28 11:01:52 · 5 answers · asked by babooshka_uk 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Duck, comes from 'Dukeries' which is an are in Derbyshire. Ey up, not sure. Probably Easy up - which is an old riding term.
2006-09-28 11:04:57 · answer #1 · answered by Madam Rosmerta 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a Derbyshire expression, from A up, which means absolutely top (A and above, from the ratings given by Lloyd's insurance) and my duckie, a term of endearance, probably nothing to do with our feathered friends but from the Latin Dulce meaning sweet or dear. So it is a familiar form of enquiry, mean 'I hope you are in the very best of health, my dear Friend?'
2006-09-28 11:14:23 · answer #2 · answered by Avondrow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Me Duck
2016-12-17 06:24:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ey Up comes from old Norse "se up" which means "watch out". Me Duck comes from old Anglo Saxon "Mi Ducas" which means "My Lord" or My Duke"
2014-03-29 08:22:27 · answer #4 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you'll find this interesting....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/eastmidlands/series7/dialect_voices.shtml
2006-09-28 11:09:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋