Fains or Fainites: does the word mean anything to you?

Question

Schooldays question.

Answer 1

I'm from London and certainly remember this in my schooldays (60s/70s) though I used to shout "Fains!" or "Fains I!"

See the following:

" : 'Feign Knights' is a phrase used by children in Kent, England, UK. I grew up using this phrase as did all my childhood friends. It was used whilst playing tag games and you crossed your fingers saying 'feign knights' and it meant no one could tag you, you were safe, immune from being caught in the game. I now live in Gloucestershire and they do not use this phrase here and have not even heard of it.

: I can certainly confirm that it is used in Kent - I live there (though I am not a native) but I always thought it was spelled 'fainites': I have to confess I am not at all sure about that, as it is not often one sees it written down.

: It was certainly not used where I grew up - my childhood being divided between the Republic of Ireland and schools in Kent and Berkshire.

: Another peculiarly Kentish usage seems to be 'Monkey Peas' for woodlice.

: DFG

There is an interesting thread on "faynights" at rootsweb.com (link below). People from the London area mostly, and some Aussies, recall variations like Faynights, Fanites, Fanelights, Vainites, Venites, etc. The most cogent explanation offered by a poster draws on the Shorter Oxford Dictionary (of which I do not have a copy)which says that the expression is from "Fains I" or "Fains it". "Fain" is taken to be a childhood slang term meaning to claim an exemption from some penalty.

The SOD apparently says that the etymology of "fane" is unknown, so I feel free to speculate that it may be from the archaic English word "fane" meaning a temple, shrine or sanctuary."

Answer 2

Yes I remember it well and you cannot touch me if I cross my fingers and shout "fainites" and I think it must be quite an old word.
It is not a triviality, these strange words have great meaning and can define an era.
My guess is that it is maybe 200 years old, certainly my grandfather knew of it.

Answer 3

1960s North London (UK) playground slang/shout used to opt out of a game temporarily, or to prevent yourself being tagged in a game. Often it is accompanied be crossing the fingers and the arms in front of your chest and standing still.

The call can also be used to suspend a whole game temporarily, for example when an adult walks across a football pitch

Said to be derived from the Old English "Fain would I..." or "I do not want to..."

Answer 4

Playground games - if one called "fainites" or "vainars" it excused them from the game - a sort of mild surrender/no contest, if memory serves me right.

Answer 5

What I think that this word means to me would be happiness I don't really know what you are talking about, are you looking for the definition?

Answer 6

I always thought it was vane lights, poor hearing as a kid obviously, but it's what we all said in SE London back in the day.

Answer 7

not really, shud i, have i missed yet another crazy made up word that will suddenly be everywhere and used by schoolchild and grandma alike

Answer 8

Look in the dictionary.

Answer 9

means nothin to me