Why does everyone say Mk 1 eyeball when they mean eye?

[Alfie168]

I suspected it originated in the RAF when certain aircraft that were supposed to have radar fitted came with lumps of concrete in the nose instead, as the radar was so far behind the airframe in development, so they had to revert to using visual..the Mk 1 eyeball..the comment being loaded with irony in its original usage.

Once everybody (except Lakey) uses it then it becomes devalued and pretentious and hackneyed, and unimaginative and boring, and derivative and repetitive and all that sort of thing.

Now the Mk 2 eyeball is a different matter altogether.

Tim

 

[Lakesailor]

I am pleased to see that most forumites posting on this thread have noted that I don't use the expression.

It gives me a warm feeling.

 

[Alfie168]

It gives me a warm feeling.

No, thats an unwelcome side effect of getting older...

Tim

 

[Boreades]

I have never used the phrase. To make the assumption that everyone uses it is a bit rich.

Hmm, "a bit rich" - I never use that phrase either, much too pretentious, I'd say old chap.

 

[Lakesailor]

Ah. But I was being ironic. Don'chya know.
Do I have to explain everything?

 

[Searush]

Ah. But I was being ironic. Don'chya know.
Do I have to explain everything?

Yeah, What's the meaning of Liff?

Even better, what's the bloody point of it!

 

[Badger]

It's nearly as annoying as people talking about ........ the Oggin.

 

[snowleopard]

What is the origin of the expression? Why does it have such a hold?

I guess it's an amusing turn of phrase that people like. There have been many others over the years, most of which have died out. One of my favourites is a reference to manual rather than power-operated equipment - 'Armstrong's Patent'. That one often needs explanation which rather destroys the point.

 

[Koeketiene]

I appreciate your concern, but you would have to work much harder than that to upset my sensibilities. Indeed, Mrs shmoo would say I didn't have any.

I also notice that you refer to your wife as Mrs Shmoo and not SWMBO (my pet hate).

 

[Searush]

OMG! So many people with so many pet hates! And I used to think I was the grumpy old git.

Steve (Badger) I think you know 'Oggin is one of my favourites, so I shall ignore that. SWMBO is delightfully YBW specific and should be protected as part of our electronic heritage. I have used Armstrong' patent occasionally, but no-one has mentioned Shank's Pony yet. I have however, seen Birmingham Screwdriver used.

I am a great admirer of the old Reader's Digest feature "Towards More picturesque Speech" and love the use of interesting references & quotations. Some of the more obscure & little used stuff just obfuscates, but the sort of words & phrases discussed on this thread are evidently transparent & widely used.

So please keep on annoying those miserable old codgers that try to impose their restricted views on all and sundry. I mean, what is the point of a broad education if you never employ it? - and if you think that means schooling - your education is far too narrow!

 

[shmoo]

I also notice that you refer to your wife as Mrs Shmoo and not SWMBO (my pet hate).

I certainly did on this occasion, but usually and almost always in watery contexts, she is the admiral. The origin of the term is that on the boat I am the technical lead, so to speak: sailing, nav, stoker, comms, meteorology but she has strategic control.

Ashore, there is very little obedience to be found. Like most couples who have been together forever the pattern is: discuss, argue, shout then each do something different. All done lovingly, you understand...

 

[Lakesailor]

One of my favourites is a reference to manual rather than power-operated equipment - 'Armstrong's Patent'. That one often needs explanation which rather destroys the point.

I must admit to using "handraulic windows" when explaining when a car has electric windows or not.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

I suspected it originated in the RAF when certain aircraft that were supposed to have radar fitted came with lumps of concrete in the nose instead, as the radar was so far behind the airframe in development, so they had to revert to using visual..the Mk 1 eyeball..the comment being loaded with irony in its original usage.

Once everybody (except Lakey) uses it then it becomes devalued and pretentious and hackneyed, and unimaginative and boring, and derivative and repetitive and all that sort of thing.

Now the Mk 2 eyeball is a different matter altogether.

Tim

I reckon that's pretty close. You know how MOD loved changing something slightly and calling it the Mark 2, Mark 3, etc. and they were pretty unimaginative in their naming as well.

That meant it wasn't unusual to have a cockpit with a Mk21a Rate of Turn and Slip Indicator, a Mark 17 Horizontal Flight Path Indicator, a Mark 17d True Air Speed Calculator, and so on. As a result a visual fix /ident tended to be called Mk 1 Eyeball. It was (and probably is) so common that no-one even noticed they were using it. Similar vernacular were words and phrases such as Duff Gen (false or inaccurate information), Scalies (married people - who were on Scale E for something or other, can't remember what), SOP (actually Standard Operating Procedure but used to describe just about anything), AL1 (actually from Amendment Leaflet - updates to manuals - but used for any change to the situation).

It's just vernacular specific to a group of people - no different to Grockles in Dorset and Emmets in Cornwall.