The Real McCoy: Difference between revisions

From The Jolly Contrarian
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
{{pe}}Disappointingly, this expression does not derive from a ''Star Trek'' episode in which they cloned the starship's doctor.  
{{pe}}Disappointingly, this expression does not derive from a ''Star Trek'' episode in which they cloned the starship's doctor.  


Common consensus has it, instead, as a bastardisation of ''McKay'', surviving from anonymous, over-apostrophied Glaswegian poem ''The De'il's Hallowe' en'', which calls out “A drappie o' the real MacKay”.  
Common consensus has it, instead, as a bastardisation of ''McKay'', surviving from anonymous, over-apostrophied Glaswegian poem ''The De’il’s Hallowe’en'', which calls out “A drappie o' the real MacKay”.  


McKay, we suppose, was some kind of Scotch whisky.  
McKay, we suppose, was some kind of Scotch whisky.  

Revision as of 13:54, 7 October 2019

Towards more picturesque speech
SEC guidance on plain EnglishIndex: Click to expand:
Tell me more
Sign up for our newsletter — or just get in touch: for ½ a weekly 🍺 you get to consult JC. Ask about it here.

Disappointingly, this expression does not derive from a Star Trek episode in which they cloned the starship's doctor.

Common consensus has it, instead, as a bastardisation of McKay, surviving from anonymous, over-apostrophied Glaswegian poem The De’il’s Hallowe’en, which calls out “A drappie o' the real MacKay”.

McKay, we suppose, was some kind of Scotch whisky.

So "the real McCoy" wasn't a McCoy at all. Come in Alannis Morissette - that is ironic.

See also