What do the Banks children have against barley water?





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40















In Mary Poppins (1964) Jane and Michael stipulate that their new nanny must:




Love us as a son and daughter, and never smell of barley water.




I've always wondered why they include this. If they mean actual barley water, which apparently is popular in various parts of the world (but not America), then it isn't really clear why the children hate it so much. It's not just that they don't want to drink it; they don't want to even smell it.



Part of me thinks they didn't mean literal barley water at all. They could also be referring (in a tongue-in-cheek way) to:




  • Beer/ale. Usually made with barley, unpleasant to smell on someone, and of course means the person is drunk.


  • Scotch. Made with barley (otherwise it's a different type of whiskey), not an unpleasant smell but also means the person is drunk.



Adults in the room would also recognize that, if the children specifically request that their nanny not show up stinking drunk, it would mean that it's happened before (further showcasing their parents' ineptitude at nanny-picking).



Is the "barley water" reference ever explained?










share|improve this question




















  • 3





    I was made to drink barley water as a kid and, though I don't remember the smell, the taste was quite special, and I never came to like it. I understand that some people may enjoy it, but it is understandable that some people will not. It is like any food with special flavour/smell/texture.

    – Taladris
    yesterday


















40















In Mary Poppins (1964) Jane and Michael stipulate that their new nanny must:




Love us as a son and daughter, and never smell of barley water.




I've always wondered why they include this. If they mean actual barley water, which apparently is popular in various parts of the world (but not America), then it isn't really clear why the children hate it so much. It's not just that they don't want to drink it; they don't want to even smell it.



Part of me thinks they didn't mean literal barley water at all. They could also be referring (in a tongue-in-cheek way) to:




  • Beer/ale. Usually made with barley, unpleasant to smell on someone, and of course means the person is drunk.


  • Scotch. Made with barley (otherwise it's a different type of whiskey), not an unpleasant smell but also means the person is drunk.



Adults in the room would also recognize that, if the children specifically request that their nanny not show up stinking drunk, it would mean that it's happened before (further showcasing their parents' ineptitude at nanny-picking).



Is the "barley water" reference ever explained?










share|improve this question




















  • 3





    I was made to drink barley water as a kid and, though I don't remember the smell, the taste was quite special, and I never came to like it. I understand that some people may enjoy it, but it is understandable that some people will not. It is like any food with special flavour/smell/texture.

    – Taladris
    yesterday














40












40








40


1






In Mary Poppins (1964) Jane and Michael stipulate that their new nanny must:




Love us as a son and daughter, and never smell of barley water.




I've always wondered why they include this. If they mean actual barley water, which apparently is popular in various parts of the world (but not America), then it isn't really clear why the children hate it so much. It's not just that they don't want to drink it; they don't want to even smell it.



Part of me thinks they didn't mean literal barley water at all. They could also be referring (in a tongue-in-cheek way) to:




  • Beer/ale. Usually made with barley, unpleasant to smell on someone, and of course means the person is drunk.


  • Scotch. Made with barley (otherwise it's a different type of whiskey), not an unpleasant smell but also means the person is drunk.



Adults in the room would also recognize that, if the children specifically request that their nanny not show up stinking drunk, it would mean that it's happened before (further showcasing their parents' ineptitude at nanny-picking).



Is the "barley water" reference ever explained?










share|improve this question
















In Mary Poppins (1964) Jane and Michael stipulate that their new nanny must:




Love us as a son and daughter, and never smell of barley water.




I've always wondered why they include this. If they mean actual barley water, which apparently is popular in various parts of the world (but not America), then it isn't really clear why the children hate it so much. It's not just that they don't want to drink it; they don't want to even smell it.



Part of me thinks they didn't mean literal barley water at all. They could also be referring (in a tongue-in-cheek way) to:




  • Beer/ale. Usually made with barley, unpleasant to smell on someone, and of course means the person is drunk.


  • Scotch. Made with barley (otherwise it's a different type of whiskey), not an unpleasant smell but also means the person is drunk.



Adults in the room would also recognize that, if the children specifically request that their nanny not show up stinking drunk, it would mean that it's happened before (further showcasing their parents' ineptitude at nanny-picking).



Is the "barley water" reference ever explained?







mary-poppins






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited yesterday







PlutoThePlanet

















asked yesterday









PlutoThePlanetPlutoThePlanet

5,26921947




5,26921947








  • 3





    I was made to drink barley water as a kid and, though I don't remember the smell, the taste was quite special, and I never came to like it. I understand that some people may enjoy it, but it is understandable that some people will not. It is like any food with special flavour/smell/texture.

    – Taladris
    yesterday














  • 3





    I was made to drink barley water as a kid and, though I don't remember the smell, the taste was quite special, and I never came to like it. I understand that some people may enjoy it, but it is understandable that some people will not. It is like any food with special flavour/smell/texture.

    – Taladris
    yesterday








3




3





I was made to drink barley water as a kid and, though I don't remember the smell, the taste was quite special, and I never came to like it. I understand that some people may enjoy it, but it is understandable that some people will not. It is like any food with special flavour/smell/texture.

– Taladris
yesterday





I was made to drink barley water as a kid and, though I don't remember the smell, the taste was quite special, and I never came to like it. I understand that some people may enjoy it, but it is understandable that some people will not. It is like any food with special flavour/smell/texture.

– Taladris
yesterday










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















44














Assuming the original Mary Poppins book by P.L. Travers is anything to go by, their objection doesn't seem to be the smell of barley water per se, but more that their old unliked nanny (Katie Nanna) stank of the stuff and they've associated the smell with her.




Well, Mr Banks went off with his black bag, and Mrs Banks went into
the drawing room and sat there all day long writing letters to the
papers and begging them to send some Nannies to her at once as she was
waiting; and upstairs in the Nursery, Jane and Michael watched at the
window and wondered who would come. They were glad Katie Nanna had
gone, for they had never liked her. She was old and fat and smelt of
barley-water.
Anything, they thought, would be better than Katie
Nanna – if not much better.




They're keen for the new nanny to be the polar opposite, to whit; young, skinny and not smelling of barley water.






share|improve this answer































    61














    Barley Water is not, in fact, beer or scotch, although those are good guesses in the absence of context. Water in which barley has been boiled was considered a health drink dating back centuries, in the same way that cod liver oil was a healthful supplement for American kids in the '50s. The British version is made by boiling barley, straining, and then pouring the hot water over lemon rind. It's disgusting, kids know it's disgusting, and the Banks children wanted no part of anyone who was going to make them drink it.






    share|improve this answer



















    • 14





      I think it's quite nice

      – Valorum
      yesterday






    • 4





      @Valorum Different strokes for different folks. I did not appreciate it growing up. My mother said it would keep me "regular". I would much rather have had Tang.

      – Seneca
      yesterday






    • 18





      It's also worth mentioning that tastes literally change as we get older, particularly bitter ones. We're genetically programmed to find bitter flavors somewhat distasteful due to them often being associated with poisons, but we taste it less as we get older (and presumably have learned what is and is not poisonous).

      – FuzzyBoots
      yesterday






    • 2





      I remember as a kid having a drink called 'barley water' which was quite nice. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same thing described by Seneca. For one thing my childhood was sixty years after the Banks'.

      – DJClayworth
      yesterday






    • 2





      Based on the number of upvotes this answer has gotten, it seems that not liking barley water is a pretty popular opinion...

      – PlutoThePlanet
      yesterday












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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    44














    Assuming the original Mary Poppins book by P.L. Travers is anything to go by, their objection doesn't seem to be the smell of barley water per se, but more that their old unliked nanny (Katie Nanna) stank of the stuff and they've associated the smell with her.




    Well, Mr Banks went off with his black bag, and Mrs Banks went into
    the drawing room and sat there all day long writing letters to the
    papers and begging them to send some Nannies to her at once as she was
    waiting; and upstairs in the Nursery, Jane and Michael watched at the
    window and wondered who would come. They were glad Katie Nanna had
    gone, for they had never liked her. She was old and fat and smelt of
    barley-water.
    Anything, they thought, would be better than Katie
    Nanna – if not much better.




    They're keen for the new nanny to be the polar opposite, to whit; young, skinny and not smelling of barley water.






    share|improve this answer




























      44














      Assuming the original Mary Poppins book by P.L. Travers is anything to go by, their objection doesn't seem to be the smell of barley water per se, but more that their old unliked nanny (Katie Nanna) stank of the stuff and they've associated the smell with her.




      Well, Mr Banks went off with his black bag, and Mrs Banks went into
      the drawing room and sat there all day long writing letters to the
      papers and begging them to send some Nannies to her at once as she was
      waiting; and upstairs in the Nursery, Jane and Michael watched at the
      window and wondered who would come. They were glad Katie Nanna had
      gone, for they had never liked her. She was old and fat and smelt of
      barley-water.
      Anything, they thought, would be better than Katie
      Nanna – if not much better.




      They're keen for the new nanny to be the polar opposite, to whit; young, skinny and not smelling of barley water.






      share|improve this answer


























        44












        44








        44







        Assuming the original Mary Poppins book by P.L. Travers is anything to go by, their objection doesn't seem to be the smell of barley water per se, but more that their old unliked nanny (Katie Nanna) stank of the stuff and they've associated the smell with her.




        Well, Mr Banks went off with his black bag, and Mrs Banks went into
        the drawing room and sat there all day long writing letters to the
        papers and begging them to send some Nannies to her at once as she was
        waiting; and upstairs in the Nursery, Jane and Michael watched at the
        window and wondered who would come. They were glad Katie Nanna had
        gone, for they had never liked her. She was old and fat and smelt of
        barley-water.
        Anything, they thought, would be better than Katie
        Nanna – if not much better.




        They're keen for the new nanny to be the polar opposite, to whit; young, skinny and not smelling of barley water.






        share|improve this answer













        Assuming the original Mary Poppins book by P.L. Travers is anything to go by, their objection doesn't seem to be the smell of barley water per se, but more that their old unliked nanny (Katie Nanna) stank of the stuff and they've associated the smell with her.




        Well, Mr Banks went off with his black bag, and Mrs Banks went into
        the drawing room and sat there all day long writing letters to the
        papers and begging them to send some Nannies to her at once as she was
        waiting; and upstairs in the Nursery, Jane and Michael watched at the
        window and wondered who would come. They were glad Katie Nanna had
        gone, for they had never liked her. She was old and fat and smelt of
        barley-water.
        Anything, they thought, would be better than Katie
        Nanna – if not much better.




        They're keen for the new nanny to be the polar opposite, to whit; young, skinny and not smelling of barley water.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered yesterday









        ValorumValorum

        414k11330223240




        414k11330223240

























            61














            Barley Water is not, in fact, beer or scotch, although those are good guesses in the absence of context. Water in which barley has been boiled was considered a health drink dating back centuries, in the same way that cod liver oil was a healthful supplement for American kids in the '50s. The British version is made by boiling barley, straining, and then pouring the hot water over lemon rind. It's disgusting, kids know it's disgusting, and the Banks children wanted no part of anyone who was going to make them drink it.






            share|improve this answer



















            • 14





              I think it's quite nice

              – Valorum
              yesterday






            • 4





              @Valorum Different strokes for different folks. I did not appreciate it growing up. My mother said it would keep me "regular". I would much rather have had Tang.

              – Seneca
              yesterday






            • 18





              It's also worth mentioning that tastes literally change as we get older, particularly bitter ones. We're genetically programmed to find bitter flavors somewhat distasteful due to them often being associated with poisons, but we taste it less as we get older (and presumably have learned what is and is not poisonous).

              – FuzzyBoots
              yesterday






            • 2





              I remember as a kid having a drink called 'barley water' which was quite nice. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same thing described by Seneca. For one thing my childhood was sixty years after the Banks'.

              – DJClayworth
              yesterday






            • 2





              Based on the number of upvotes this answer has gotten, it seems that not liking barley water is a pretty popular opinion...

              – PlutoThePlanet
              yesterday
















            61














            Barley Water is not, in fact, beer or scotch, although those are good guesses in the absence of context. Water in which barley has been boiled was considered a health drink dating back centuries, in the same way that cod liver oil was a healthful supplement for American kids in the '50s. The British version is made by boiling barley, straining, and then pouring the hot water over lemon rind. It's disgusting, kids know it's disgusting, and the Banks children wanted no part of anyone who was going to make them drink it.






            share|improve this answer



















            • 14





              I think it's quite nice

              – Valorum
              yesterday






            • 4





              @Valorum Different strokes for different folks. I did not appreciate it growing up. My mother said it would keep me "regular". I would much rather have had Tang.

              – Seneca
              yesterday






            • 18





              It's also worth mentioning that tastes literally change as we get older, particularly bitter ones. We're genetically programmed to find bitter flavors somewhat distasteful due to them often being associated with poisons, but we taste it less as we get older (and presumably have learned what is and is not poisonous).

              – FuzzyBoots
              yesterday






            • 2





              I remember as a kid having a drink called 'barley water' which was quite nice. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same thing described by Seneca. For one thing my childhood was sixty years after the Banks'.

              – DJClayworth
              yesterday






            • 2





              Based on the number of upvotes this answer has gotten, it seems that not liking barley water is a pretty popular opinion...

              – PlutoThePlanet
              yesterday














            61












            61








            61







            Barley Water is not, in fact, beer or scotch, although those are good guesses in the absence of context. Water in which barley has been boiled was considered a health drink dating back centuries, in the same way that cod liver oil was a healthful supplement for American kids in the '50s. The British version is made by boiling barley, straining, and then pouring the hot water over lemon rind. It's disgusting, kids know it's disgusting, and the Banks children wanted no part of anyone who was going to make them drink it.






            share|improve this answer













            Barley Water is not, in fact, beer or scotch, although those are good guesses in the absence of context. Water in which barley has been boiled was considered a health drink dating back centuries, in the same way that cod liver oil was a healthful supplement for American kids in the '50s. The British version is made by boiling barley, straining, and then pouring the hot water over lemon rind. It's disgusting, kids know it's disgusting, and the Banks children wanted no part of anyone who was going to make them drink it.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered yesterday









            SenecaSeneca

            65819




            65819








            • 14





              I think it's quite nice

              – Valorum
              yesterday






            • 4





              @Valorum Different strokes for different folks. I did not appreciate it growing up. My mother said it would keep me "regular". I would much rather have had Tang.

              – Seneca
              yesterday






            • 18





              It's also worth mentioning that tastes literally change as we get older, particularly bitter ones. We're genetically programmed to find bitter flavors somewhat distasteful due to them often being associated with poisons, but we taste it less as we get older (and presumably have learned what is and is not poisonous).

              – FuzzyBoots
              yesterday






            • 2





              I remember as a kid having a drink called 'barley water' which was quite nice. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same thing described by Seneca. For one thing my childhood was sixty years after the Banks'.

              – DJClayworth
              yesterday






            • 2





              Based on the number of upvotes this answer has gotten, it seems that not liking barley water is a pretty popular opinion...

              – PlutoThePlanet
              yesterday














            • 14





              I think it's quite nice

              – Valorum
              yesterday






            • 4





              @Valorum Different strokes for different folks. I did not appreciate it growing up. My mother said it would keep me "regular". I would much rather have had Tang.

              – Seneca
              yesterday






            • 18





              It's also worth mentioning that tastes literally change as we get older, particularly bitter ones. We're genetically programmed to find bitter flavors somewhat distasteful due to them often being associated with poisons, but we taste it less as we get older (and presumably have learned what is and is not poisonous).

              – FuzzyBoots
              yesterday






            • 2





              I remember as a kid having a drink called 'barley water' which was quite nice. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same thing described by Seneca. For one thing my childhood was sixty years after the Banks'.

              – DJClayworth
              yesterday






            • 2





              Based on the number of upvotes this answer has gotten, it seems that not liking barley water is a pretty popular opinion...

              – PlutoThePlanet
              yesterday








            14




            14





            I think it's quite nice

            – Valorum
            yesterday





            I think it's quite nice

            – Valorum
            yesterday




            4




            4





            @Valorum Different strokes for different folks. I did not appreciate it growing up. My mother said it would keep me "regular". I would much rather have had Tang.

            – Seneca
            yesterday





            @Valorum Different strokes for different folks. I did not appreciate it growing up. My mother said it would keep me "regular". I would much rather have had Tang.

            – Seneca
            yesterday




            18




            18





            It's also worth mentioning that tastes literally change as we get older, particularly bitter ones. We're genetically programmed to find bitter flavors somewhat distasteful due to them often being associated with poisons, but we taste it less as we get older (and presumably have learned what is and is not poisonous).

            – FuzzyBoots
            yesterday





            It's also worth mentioning that tastes literally change as we get older, particularly bitter ones. We're genetically programmed to find bitter flavors somewhat distasteful due to them often being associated with poisons, but we taste it less as we get older (and presumably have learned what is and is not poisonous).

            – FuzzyBoots
            yesterday




            2




            2





            I remember as a kid having a drink called 'barley water' which was quite nice. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same thing described by Seneca. For one thing my childhood was sixty years after the Banks'.

            – DJClayworth
            yesterday





            I remember as a kid having a drink called 'barley water' which was quite nice. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same thing described by Seneca. For one thing my childhood was sixty years after the Banks'.

            – DJClayworth
            yesterday




            2




            2





            Based on the number of upvotes this answer has gotten, it seems that not liking barley water is a pretty popular opinion...

            – PlutoThePlanet
            yesterday





            Based on the number of upvotes this answer has gotten, it seems that not liking barley water is a pretty popular opinion...

            – PlutoThePlanet
            yesterday


















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