Tally Ho?

[tristanh]

What does Tally Ho! mean. I think it is associated with the South West of England (Devon, Cornwall)?

[andy hughes]

It's a corruption of the French "Ty a hilaut" which means "The game's afoot!" and is used to advise the Hunt that the hounds have a scent or sight of a fox. The etiquette of fox hunting is French, handed down from written rules by Count Gaston De Foix in the 14th century. This phrase, along with "Illoequs!" which became "Yoiks!" have corrupted over the years. They are popular in the south of England because that area has always enjoyed an active tradition of fox hunting, so the phrases, and corruptions, have been handed down over the generations.

[mikewith]

That mention of the West Country -- are you thinking of the North Devon village/ beach resort of Westward Ho! -- that exclamation mark is really part of the name of the place -- which takes it's unusual name from the novel by Charles Kingsley.

[curiousgeorg]

It is also an americanism meaning "enemy in sight" or some such. It is used to signal whe you have laid eyes on someone or something. Fighter pilots use it