git on down to Appliance Round Up for the rodeo of savings

[Alexdezh]

Hello everybody,

I've stumbled upon the phrase "git on down to appliance Round Up for the rodeo of savings".
I don't have even the slightest idea of what it means. So any help is appreciated.
It's from the following passage of short story "Mr. Voice" by Jess Walter:

Mr. Voice was everywhere then; in my tenth year I couldn’t escape him telling me there was “strawberry shortcake for whoever cleans their plate,” or that I should “git on down to Appliance Round Up for the rodeo of savings,” or that my mother “put the head in ‘head cheerleader.’”

*Mr. Voice is a new stepdad of a little girl who narrates the story. He works on the radio, makes TV commercials and hosts a number of shows. The story takes place in Spokane, Washington.

 

[Mr.Dent]

On this forum they request one question per thread.

“git on down to Appliance Round Up for the rodeo of savings,”

Git -- A Western US accent for get
round up -- an event where all the cattle are herded --Western US
rodeo -- an exhibition which cowboys ride broncos, rope calves, etc.--Western US
Basically it means they are having a large sale.

 

[Alexdezh]

Thanks for the answer!
Does it mean they have a large sale while watching a rodeo or it's just in a figurative sense?

On this forum they request one question per thread.

Didn't know that. Should I delete this one and start two different threads or I can just create a new thread for the second phrase?

 

[suzi br]

Hi
It is just a figure of speech. I think is suggests the man talking is a bit wierd, this is no way for a normal dad to chat .. maybe the broader context of the whole story offers some reason why he sounds like this. Does he work in advertising?

You can just start a new thread for the second question and maybe delete that bit from this thread.

 

[Alexdezh]

maybe the broader context of the whole story offers some reason why he sounds like this. Does he work in advertising?.

Hi, Suzi.
Yes, he works on the radio, makes TV commercials and hosts a number of shows. Everyone in town knows his voice and therefore calls him Mr. Voice.
Is this manner of speech common for salesmen and ad people in US?

You can just start a new thread for the second question and maybe delete that bit from this thread.

Ok, thanks. I will do that.

 

[suzi br]

I guessed it was advertising because the things he says sound like advertising cliches. I am not at all sure that people who work in the industry talk this way! I think probably not, but their material sounds like this.
In this story these things are said to make the reader smile .. hearing your dad say these things repeatedly would be very annoying.

 

[Alexdezh]

Now I'm beginning to get it. The guy works in broadcasting and made a habit to talk like a commercial.
But do all three sound like advertising cliches? “Strawberry shortcake for whoever cleans their plate” seems pretty normal to me. In Russia it easily could be said by any parent without sounding weird.

 

[Mr.Dent]

Does it mean they have a large sale while watching a rodeo or it's just in a figurative sense?

Figurative. It's a cowboy way of talking.

 

[pob14]

Is this manner of speech common for salesmen and ad people in US?

It is common for car dealers specifically to act very strange in their commercials. We have one here who dresses like Superman in his TV ads. Since all dealers of Fords, for example, sell the same cars at more or less the same prices, they have to do something to make people remember their dealership specifically.

In other fields, such as appliances, commercials don't tend to do this as much, but it still exists at times, especially on the radio; again, to use a local example, one electronics dealer around here likes to explain that when you buy something there, they will spend the money locally on pizza and beer.

It's all about getting the listeners' attention.

 

[Alexdezh]

Figurative. It's a cowboy way of talking.

I should have mentioned that the story takes place in Spokane, Washington. Not really a cowboy state if I understand correctly. Or it's irrelevant for such slang usage?

 

[Mr.Dent]

Or it's irrelevant for such slang usage?

Yup pardner (more Western dialect -- this time meaning, yes partner or yes my friend).

 

[Alexdezh]

It is common for car dealers specifically to act very strange in their commercials. We have one here who dresses like Superman in his TV ads...

Thanks for clarifying! I've seen this stuff on series like Friends. Always thought it was a gimmick made up for TV show. Things are much more mundane in my hometown.

 

[Parla]

Advertising people are always trying to think up some new and entertaining way to convey a message like "Come to our store and buy an appliance; we're having a special sale, so you can save money." They think something like "Git on down to our appliance roundup . . . " is more likely to get people's attention.

 

[Blurgle]

I should have mentioned that the story takes place in Spokane, Washington. Not really a cowboy state if I understand correctly. Or it's irrelevant for such slang usage?

Spokane is more than close enough; cowboy culture influences most of the United States and virtually all of the West. Spokane is in Eastern Washington, which is farm and cattle country.

 

[Alexdezh]

I get it that 'Appliance Round Up' is some huge sale, but could it be something more specific? Maybe that event when you bring your old appliance, exchange it for a new one and pay the difference in price?

By the way, you guys give me a nod, if I ask too many questions in one thread. I think they're related closely enough to the main topic, but I'm new to the forum and don't fully understand how it works around here.

 

[Mr.Dent]

I get it that 'Appliance Round Up' is some huge sale, but could it be something more specific? Maybe that event when you bring your old appliance, exchange it for a new one and pay the difference in price?

No. Not unless they specifically say so in the advertisement/commercial.

 

[Alexdezh]

No. Not unless they specifically say so in the advertisement/commercial.

Ok, so "round up" in that phrase refers to a large amount of appliances gathered in one place like a herd. Is this correct?

 

[Blurgle]

Ok, so "round up" in that phrase refers to a large amount of appliances gathered in one place like a herd. Is this correct?

That's the impression the advertiser is trying to give. In truth "round-up" is just flowery language the advertiser's using to make his sale sound interesting; he might not have a lot of appliances on hand. He is using it as a euphemism for "sale", that's all.

 

[Myridon]

git on down to Appliance Round Up for the rodeo of savings

Given the capitalization and the lack of an article, I would say that "Appliance Round Up" is the name of the store which is having the sale

 

[Mr.Dent]

Given the capitalization and the lack of an article, I would say that "Appliance Round Up" is the name of the store which is having the sale

That could be.

 

[Alexdezh]

Given the capitalization and the lack of an article, I would say that "Appliance Round Up" is the name of the store which is having the sale

Makes sense to me. In other words he's saying "hurry up to our appliance store for a big sale".