I came across this phrase on twitter last week from some Northern Irish establishments and wondered "what the heck does that mean, and where does that even come from?". Well, I haven't been able to find the exact source, but I think I've been able to piece something together with the power of google!
First off, "back to porridge" basically means, "back to work" or "back to reality". I'm assuming porridge is supposed to symbolize going back to your regular boring meals unlike the fancy ones you may have enjoyed during the holidays.
After doing some googling, I discovered that the phrase appears in many Northern Irish sources, but then I found the phrase "back to purridge and auld clathe", which seems to come from the Old Scots dialect meaning "back to porridge and old clothes". Similar no?! I'm going to go ahead and take an educated guess, and say that some how, somewhere, the Scottish influenced the Northern Irish because of their proximity to one another.
So, ANYWAY, it's back to porridge guys. Have you noticed the abundance of diet pills and gym ads that have appeared after New Years? Maybe back to porridge is really just a way of saying "Guys, go on a diet will ya!".
I hope you all had a lovely holiday season. I know I did. There was loads of food to be eaten, and people to see. I even got a chance to see some sheep up close! But what else is new right?
I hope you all had a lovely holiday season. I know I did. There was loads of food to be eaten, and people to see. I even got a chance to see some sheep up close! But what else is new right?
Keep Smilin'
M.
Thanks for posting this ... my grandfather was born in Scotland, and my mother (who is now 92 years old) always says this after a holiday ... or even a long weekend. It's fun to know the translation and the derivation!
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteWas just checking the meaning of this and came across your site. N.Ireland has very strong links with Scotland indeed. In fact, many Scots migrated to Northern Ireland during a period called the 'plantation'. Initiated by King James I, in 1610, it was designed to "plant" protestant settlers in Ulster to quell Catholic Irish clans from rebellion. Around 200,000 made the short journey, 21 miles at its nearest point, between 1605-1697.
In doing so, the Ulster Scots were born. I am Northern Irish (Ulster Scot) and my husband is Scottish. We grew up in different countries, separated by a sea, yet we share many dialect words.