I’ve always had a bit of soft spot for knowing where slang terms come from, but am puzzled by a couple.

Firstly, why is a board marker known as a ‘Sharpie’?

Bit more local on this one – in the East Midlands, why is an ice cream known as an ‘Oakie’?

Any help gratefully received!

innit

Sharpie is a branded equivalent to “marker”

(Don’t actually use them on whiteboards though – they are permanent markers)

“Oakie” is an old slang term for icecream. Hokey-pokey comes from the same origin. It’s not limited to the UK, it was used in the US and Australasia as well.
Hokey-pokey (the ice-cream song)

Explanation

Great – that’s the Sharpie cleared up. Now then, what gives with ‘Oakie’ in Leicestershire? I was born in Leicester, have lived in the county all my life apart from three years at Uni and a couple in that London. But I’d never really heard ‘Oakie’ until I started going out with my now wife. I think it is a NW of Leicester thing – a bit like m’y’ode. As in “Ay up m’y’ode lad”*?

* See Queen’s English equivalent “Hello Sir”.

Beaten to it!