Re Millenials' Question: "Can someone please shed light on the origins of ‘Don’t argue’ and Dusty? The guy never says anything?"

[vernissage]

What a great question. Older Tiges can sometimes assume too much.

The Huttons Footy Franks: a phenomenon of the 1970s, advertised on the legendary, shambolic, culturally defining Ch 7, "World of Sport". A Sunday ritual. The Huttons' tag line is 'Don't Argue" [they're the best]. The Laurel and Hardy protagonists on the logo demonstrate a Dusty stiff arm. See 80s ad:

 

[Quickdraw]

I was talking to my analyst at work a couple of years back. We were under a bit of pressure. And I said there will be "Big Trouble in Little China" is we didn't get our work done.

Turned out she'd never heard of the movie, and to make matter worse, she is an Asian millennial. She thought I was making a racial slur.

And I'm sooooo careful about that stuff.

 

[Dont Argue]

Well I think it all started when my parents had a root.
Not sure about Dusty but believe my dad was hungover the next day.

 

[123cups]

Without seeing that 80’s ad before, the don’t argue is understandable in any language and in any culture around the world!

 

[Dyer'ere]

‘don’t argue’: meaning and origin of this rugby phrase

Australia, 1914—the straight-arm fend-off—from advertisements for J. C. Hutton Pty Ltd, depicting a man putting a hand in another man’s face and saying “Don’t argue—Hutton’s bacon is the best”…

wordhistories.net

 

[Althom]

Wasn't there a neon sign, of the Skipping Girl type, somewhere?

 

[Quickdraw]

Well I think it all started when my parents had a root.
Not sure about Dusty but believe my dad was hungover the next day.

I was telling a yank mate a joke and I used the term "root". He immediately asked what that meant. I explained that is was Aussie for having sex. He then asked "why do you call it root"?

I just said I don't know. We just call it that.

As DA brought up the colloquial term "root", can someone tell me where the word comes from?

 

[JimJessTorp]

*snip*
As DA brought up the colloquial term "root", can someone tell me where the word comes from?

Earliest reference to the word "root" being associated with bonking (the sound a volkswagon bonnet makes when you have sex on it) is American English slang for "*smile*" from the mid 19th Century (1854).

 

[Quickdraw]

Earliest reference to the word "root" being associated with bonking (the sound a volkswagon bonnet makes when you have sex on it) is American English slang for "*smile*" from the mid 19th Century (1854).

American English?
Hmmmm. Still not sure why "root".

If it had Pommy origins I'd be guessing rhyming slang but that isn't a yank thing.

 

[Dont Argue]

I was telling a yank mate a joke and I used the term "root". He immediately asked what that meant. I explained that is was Aussie for having sex. He then asked "why do you call it root"?

I just said I don't know. We just call it that.

As DA brought up the colloquial term "root", can someone tell me where the word comes from?

Its origins must be old because when I was growing up, there was rhyming slang calling it a “tanned boot”!

 

[Quickdraw]

Its origins must be old because when I was growing up, there was rhyming slang calling it a “tanned boot”!

Found this.

Associated with the verb sense of root (n.). Extended sense of "poke about, pry" first recorded 1831. Phrase root hog or die "work or fail" first attested 1834, American English (in works of Davey Crockett, who noted it as an "old saying"). Reduplicated form rootin' tootin' "noisy, rambunctious" is recorded from 1875

So maybe to poke about.

 

[Tony Braxton-Hicks]

My first encounter with the phrase was the Weddings Parties Anything album The Big Don't Argue. The band was trying to work out what to call the album when they were watching the footy and Tony Lockett ran through an opponent. Someone said, "That's a big don't argue," and the American producer said, "That'syour album name."

 

[DavidSSS]

Reading the 100 Years of Football book, there is an article about Jack Dyer where they describe his fend off as a "Don't Argue".

Looks like it comes from that Huttons ad but it sure goes back and certainly goes back to the 1940s at least in relation to Australian Rules Football.

DS

 

[Willo]

God said to Adam..”don’t argue, with a woman, ever”

 

[josey]

My first encounter with the phrase was the Weddings Parties Anything album The Big Don't Argue. The band was trying to work out what to call the album when they were watching the footy and Tony Lockett ran through an opponent. Someone said, "That's a big don't argue," and the American producer said, "That'syour album name."

Great album too TBH.

 

[Tony Braxton-Hicks]

Great album too TBH.

Drunk History did the story of Alexander Pearce, the inspiration for "A Tale They Won't Believe", about two weeks ago.

 

[AngryAnt]

Drunk History did the story of Alexander Pearce, the inspiration for "A Tale They Won't Believe", about two weeks ago.

There's a good short film version of this story by ABC/Screen Australia called the The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce. Great on location filming in Tassie and very good cast. It's on YT but resolution is not great.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Great thread!