BETTY MARTIN PLEASE tell Jim McTaggart that the source of the phrase Betty Martin - which he referred to in his recent column (Echo, Jan 19) - came not from any glossary of Teesdale language, but from Portugal.
In the Napoleonic Wars, our soldiers fighting the French with our oldest ally, Portugal, heard it from local religious people and brought it back to England.
It is a mishearing of a prayer to a local saint uttered when they heard gunfire.
I don't know the exact Portuguese saying, but it was like "O mi beatte Martin" (Oh bless me, St Martin).
I am 81 and haven't heard the expression for years. It was usually expressed in a shortened form as "All My Eye"
as a term of misbelief. - Bob Kelsall, Heighington.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article