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| celeritas |
 Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:43 am |
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Joined: 01 Jul 2005
Posts: 11
Location: Manchester,UK
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I keep coming across the word 'chit' when I'm reading fanfics, and I would really like to know exactly what it means, and where in the world it comes from. As a Brit, I had never heard it before I began to read these things, and I would love to know its origins and also, why people think that Severus would ever describe anyone as a 'chit'
Thanks a lot for helping me
celeritas
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| azazello |
| Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:29 pm |
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Joined: 29 Nov 2004
Posts: 183
Location: Northern UK
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A chit means a young girl. No I do not for a moment think he would talk like that. It's dreadfully archaic. No one in the UK under 80 would talk that way.
Someone in a Georgette Heyer novel might, but not Snape. |
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Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony ~ Monty Python and the Holy Grail |
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| celeritas |
| Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 6:48 pm |
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Joined: 01 Jul 2005
Posts: 11
Location: Manchester,UK
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Thank you! I didn't even realise that it was English... I thought that it was an Americanisation or something like that, you know, because you get so many examples of 'A mere chit of a girl', and that sort of thing. But thanks for the clarification, anyway.
celeritas |
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| MrsRickman |
| Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 3:49 am |
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Joined: 03 Sep 2006
Posts: 3
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| So what is the equivalent of the American "chick"? Or how else would you refer to a young girl? |
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| pipedreamer |
| Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 12:57 pm |
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Joined: 28 Apr 2005
Posts: 44
Location: Newcastle, UK
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The equivalent to the American "Chick" i would suggest is "bird" - although it is a terribly Northern thing - the kind of word people from Lancashire, Manchester or Leeds might say.
For example: a hot chick would be British-ized as a fit bird.
It's very informal though. Not rude, but definitley informal, and possibly quite Coronation Street sounding.
It's not really used over here. |
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| MithLuin |
| Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:26 pm |
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Joined: 18 Dec 2006
Posts: 16
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So what are appropriate condescending words for children or young people? Because I'm sure Snape would use them, even if 'chit' is too oldfashioned  . I mean, other than the infamous 'dunderheads.' Would 'brat' work? |
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| pipedreamer |
| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:34 am |
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Joined: 28 Apr 2005
Posts: 44
Location: Newcastle, UK
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I think Snape would just use "children" and use that tone of voice which he's so good at - you know, where he makes "children" rhyme with "scum" 
Other than that, I don't think he'd use any words in relation to someone's youth. I think he'd just use things like feeble, lackwitted, idiotic, thoughtless, undisciplined, impertinent, etc. |
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"Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
~Terry Pratchett~ |
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