To My British Friends: "Awake"?

CaliforniaMelanie · Oct 3, 2013

In the middle off all the deep thinking writers so often do, I thought you'd appreciate the quick break of a very, very stupid question.

You know, just to lighten the mood.

What does "awake" mean, as a British exclamation?

In "Curse of the Were Rabbit" (yes, I am addicted to this movie...am I seriously admitting this?), Wallace sees someone he doesn't want to see at the door, and he yells out, "awake!"

What does that mean? Does it mean something like "oh no" or "oh my God"?

I can guess at "lummy day" but "awake" has me puzzled.

Sophia · Oct 4, 2013

I've never heard it used as an exclamation like that. I looked up the script, and although the version I found did have "Awake!" in it, I'm wondering if it's a mistake, and that Wallace actually said, "Oh, 'eck!" (As in "Oh, heck!", a euphemism for "Oh, hell!", and common in the Yorkshire dialect.) *Is tempted to fetch the DVD from downstairs and check*

Shakesbear · Oct 4, 2013

I agree with Sophia. I think he shouts "O 'eck!".

Damn! Will now have to watch the film. One of my favourites.

wilchris · Oct 4, 2013

Sophia said:
I've never heard it used as an exclamation like that. I looked up the script, and although the version I found did have "Awake!" in it, I'm wondering if it's a mistake, and that Wallace actually said, "Oh, 'eck!" (As in "Oh, heck!", a euphemism for "Oh, hell!", and common in the Yorkshire dialect.) *Is tempted to fetch the DVD from downstairs and check*

Coming from the North, though Lancashire, not Yorkshire, "Oh heck!" sounds about right.

Anninyn · Oct 4, 2013

"awake!" used as an exclamation means "Wake Up!" or "Be Aware/Alert!"

It's older, more formal english and is typically used in tolkein-esque fantasy. It surprised me that it's in Wallace and Grommit. As Sophia says it's more likely he says "Oh, 'eck!" which is a yorkshire slang expression for surprise and alarm.

wilchris · Oct 4, 2013

What about "Ecky thump!" which is right good northern slang for surprise? Though more Lancashire than Yorkshire, as most good things are!

Torgo · Oct 4, 2013

http://www.subzin.com/quotes/Wallace+&+Gromit+in+The+Curse+of+the+Were-Rabbit/Oh,+'eck

mirandashell · Oct 4, 2013

Yeah, definitely 'oh eck' rather than 'Awake!'

Shakesbear · Oct 4, 2013

wilchris said:
What about "Ecky thump!" which is right good northern slang for surprise? Though more Lancashire than Yorkshire, as most good things are!

Wars of the Roses, round II?

CaliforniaMelanie · Oct 4, 2013

Thanks, everyone! Another deep mystery solved, LOL!

There are actually quite a few references we Yanks don't get, such as ay-up (which is on the cover of the magazine Wallace is reading when he's using his "harmless brain alteration"), and I heard that the word "melon" is something else in the original version but I can't remember what it was...however, apparently "melon" was in the Americanized version.

Fascinating stuff!

Torgo · Oct 4, 2013

CaliforniaMelanie said:
Thanks, everyone! Another deep mystery solved, LOL!

There are actually quite a few references we Yanks don't get, such as ay-up (which is on the cover of the magazine Wallace is reading when he's using his "harmless brain alteration"), and I heard that the word "melon" is something else in the original version but I can't remember what it was...however, apparently "melon" was in the Americanized version.

Fascinating stuff!

Ay-up (or more usually ey-oop) is Yorkshire for 'hello', is the gag here (HELLO! magazine.)

mirandashell · Oct 4, 2013

It would have been marrow in the original.

CaliforniaMelanie · Oct 4, 2013

Torgo said:
Ay-up (or more usually ey-oop) is Yorkshire for 'hello', is the gag here (HELLO! magazine.)

Yes, I remember asking about this one on another forum at the time I first watched W&G. People were even writing it for me phonetically as you just did. But nobody mentioned that it was a takeoff on Hello! magazine...the more you know, and all that...

CaliforniaMelanie · Oct 4, 2013

mirandashell said:
It would have been marrow in the original.

THANK YOU! I was not going to sleep until I figured that one out, LOL.

Yes, "marrow" would have had a lot of scratching of heads on this side of the pond.

To My British Friends: "Awake"?

CaliforniaMelanie

Sophia

Shakesbear

knows a hawk from a handsaw

wilchris

practical experience, FTW

Anninyn

Stealing your twiglets.

wilchris

practical experience, FTW

Torgo

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.

mirandashell

Shakesbear

knows a hawk from a handsaw

CaliforniaMelanie

Torgo

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.

mirandashell

CaliforniaMelanie

CaliforniaMelanie