word of the day: Bob’s your Uncle

word of the day: Bob’s your Uncle

While in Antartica on a mission, Miss Bianca and Bernard of the Mouse Prisoners’ Aid Society meet some penguins enthusiastic about joining the club, their not being mice not withstanding. 

‘Forty new members at one fell swoop! I’ll enroll ‘em at once.’

‘Forty indeed!’ murmured Miss Bianca. ‘Just think of all the paperwork involved!’

‘Don’t bother about that,’ said practical Bernard, ‘there isn’t any paper. I’ll enroll ‘em verbally, all in one bunch.’

[I]t was Bernard’s turn to make a speech — or rather to issue a few concise instructions, which he did without delay.

‘All those wishing to become members of the Mouse Prisoners’ Aid Society, raise the right flipper,’ directed Bernard.

Every penguin did so. Some in their enthusiasm raised both.

‘Proposed by the Secretary, seconded by the Treasurer, carried unanimously and Bob’s your Uncle,’ said Bernard briskly.

definition (wikipedia): "Bob's your uncle" is a phrase commonly used in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries that means "and there it is" or "and there you have it". Typically, someone says it to conclude a set of simple instructions or when a result is reached. The meaning is similar to that of the French expression "et voilà!" or the American "easy as pie" or "piece of cake".

The origin of the phrase, the wikipedia entry goes on to say, seems to be an act of nepotism in which a British prime minister (named Robert) appointed a nephew to a prominent position. The nephew got the job too easily, then. A wikipedia editor casts some doubt on this origin story by saying the first known instance of the phrase appearing in print was when it was used as the title of a musical revue forty years later. The phrase likely had wide currency by the time it was used as a title, but if indeed it was coined in reaction to the prime minister’s special favors it seems odd that it took forty years for anyone to write it out. 

An essay at World Wide Words also recounts the prime minister version and also doubts it. “[E]verybody who has looked into the history of the expression has ended up baffled. Bob has had many slang associations down the years, often linked to crime, gambling or deceit.”

I first encountered “— and Bob’s your uncle!” some thirty years ago when a coworker gave me instructions on how to fill out some paperwork. Do this, do that, and Bob’s your uncle! I’ve always been curious where the phrase came from. 

source:

Miss Bianca in the Antarctic

by Margery Sharp

illustrated by Erik Blegveld

1971. Little, Brown & Co., Boston MA