Help needed - Mitchell

[Sun]

Hi! I need to translate a section of the Black Swan Green, and there some slang phrases that I do not understand. Could somebody help me? The sentences go: I imagine him in the baby room at Preston Hospital playing Eeny-meeny-miny-mo. I imagine him tapping my koochy lips, murmuring down at me, Mine. Can someone please help me?

Edited May 19, 2008 by Echo

[madcow]

Sorry sun can't help you as I've not read the book.

[Sun]

could it mean cute? when you talk to a baby you say koochy-koo or something like that?

[Michelle]

It's in a baby room, so I certainly imagine that it is along the lines of 'koochy koo', rather than anything else. However, without reading the book, and knowing the context, it's impossible for us to really know. You need someone who has read the book to come along and answer.

[Sun]

thanks..I agree with you..

[Freewheeling Andy]

Ah. It's a great book (and my favourite modern author). I don't actually remember that line but it seems like he's referring to his dad's reaction to him when he was a baby in the hospital. Thinking the child's cute, but mostly that the child is his.

[Heather]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe ~ this is a counting song

 

not sure about koochy lips mabe it means cute lips

[Welshman]

Aaaah, now you have me on a passion! The traditional origin of some of our generally used English words!

 

Interesting question. The word Koochie, coochie or coochy is derived from an older form "couchee," which means a night-time visit. It is apparently derived from the French word "couche," and is quite similar to a similar old English words. Sources I have referred to have suggested couchant, which means lying down, and of course (and inevitably) the modern word "couch".

 

According to the more traditional sense in England the words koochy lips would normally be associated with the female vulval lip and would normally be used in this sense in a sexual way. I have not read the book so I can only assume this is the interpretation the author wishes.

 

More modern interpretations have tended to look on Koochie lips as meaning - cute, curv, pink lips, usually on a boy.

 

Hope that helps.

[Michelle]

According to the more traditional sense in England the words koochy lips would normally be associated with the female vulval lip and would normally be used in this sense in a sexual way. I have not read the book so I can only assume this is the interpretation the author wishes.

 

We'd already decided that as this was to a boy, and it was set in a baby room, it's hardly likely to be the meaning.

[Welshman]

As for eeny meeny .. there are several useful descriptions of a Druidic ritual involving the sacrificing of children which may help us to understand the origins of this 'song'.