Sunday 11 November 2007

Khyber


While walking about with the dog I often take notice of the many place names of houses and often wonder why they have been called that. In doing this I am not being satirical, but merely curious. I like anyone who doesn't mind being a bit different or calling their house something a bit different. The other day I came across one called 'Adenuff' , which needs no explanation, but perhaps is not the most cheerful of housenames. Though I like the use of dialect.
I like this one 'Khyber'. It is reminiscent of the 'Khyber Pass'. I know that this expression is cockney rhyming slang for 'Falling on your Khyber', so perhaps the householder is trying to make a similar dry point about life as the people a bit further up the road. If so, it is appropriate that the butt end letter of the sign has indeed fallen on its khyber, or off it.
Maybe the people in the house have done the equivalent of traversing a rocky hostile terrain to get together, in which case this would make this very romantic. Or maybe they just have warring families. I notice the name has not been bought as a full name but has been made especially from single letters which would seem to imply that the choice of name has some special personal significance.
Maybe the people who live there are old hippies who have been on the hippy trail at some point across the 'Khyber Pass'. In which case I like them even more. Not outside the realms of possibibilty as I know people who have been on the Himalayas on their own personal odyssey. Maybe the last letter missing on the intriguing house name is symbolic of a ramshackle but fascinating interior within.
All interesting, adds to my house names collection and whiles away many a dogwalking hour.

6 comments:

Bobbie said...

Love these house names you are collecting. Here, ordinary people think it is a little snobbish to give your house a name, but some do. So it is fun to see that ordinary people do name their houses in England.

lebanesa said...

Nice point Bobbie, that may be because most of the English never think of themselves as ordinary. Even when they do the same as all their peers, they think their group is different from everyone else - and usually, of course, superior in some way.
I think house naming here is sometimes snobbish, and sometimes humorous...
I do agree about the collecting though, I keep wanting to take pictures of people and their houses, but am not brave enough. I do admire Bev's courage.

Bev said...

Frances, I do agree with your point about the English. Also an entirely more eccentric race. Probably something about the way they have been brought up and the class system. Probably more insecure.

I do think it is a bit of a cheek taking pics of people's houses and if I see people I always ask permission. I also comfort myself with the thought that it is all anonymous. An infringement of copyright or trespass or something!
But as I don't go anywhere very often and am always walking about this is where I can take most of my pics! I think I was quite brave taking my pics on Hawthorn Ave a few months ago.....

dianeclancy said...

Hi Beverly,

This is a fun project to follow!

~ Diane Clancy
www.dianeclancy.com/blog

Anonymous said...

I've seen names on ranches and farm gates but can't say I ever saw a name on a house before...love the idea tho!

Debi said...

I enjoy your humorous observations about the follies of life, Bev. You have a real talent for it. The connection between the fallen R and the falling on your khyber (an expression completely unknown to me) made me laugh out loud.