A question on humour in Blackadder

Hi, thanks for reading. Not being British I would appreciate British opinions on a question I have regarding a scene from "Blackadder Goes forth", the 4th series last (6th) episode, 02:08 to about 03:17 in its beginning.

Blackadder asks George what happens to all his friends from Cambridge who enlisted to fight World War I. George's reply is a torrent of some kind of "argo" - Cambridgespeak? just a small portion of it (it can be read more fully at https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Blackadder)

George: "[..] We'd hammered Oxford's tiddlywinkers only the week before [..] I remember Bumfluff's housemaster wrote and told me that Sticky had been out for a duck, and the gubber had snitched a parcel sausage end and gone goose over stumps frog side. "
and then Blackadder responds, "Meaning?"
Funny.

My rather embarrassing question is, do Oxbridge students talk anything like that, these days, (or late 1980's even) and in that case, is it a clear case of direct self referential humour, poking fun at the writers (and actors of course) past at Oxbridge? or, would people talk like that only in 1917, more likely?

Thanks again for reading..

It's poking fun at the strange nicknames of the upper-middle and upper classes (see also: Miranda), and at the British manner of avoiding discussion of death with a series of euphemisms.

Oxbridge graduates still talk exactly like that. If you want to get on with them, you'd be advised to do the same.

Quote: Roy Darkish @ 26th March 2016, 9:33 PM GMT

We'd hammered Oxford's tiddlywinkers only the week before ...

We beat thoroughly the other team at tiddlywinks a game based around flipping small plastic discs.

I remember Bumfluff's housemaster wrote and told me that Sticky had been out for a duck

A very poor score whilst batting in Cricket, a wicket is the sticks you try to hit with the ball. If it's especially easy you may be said to have a "sticky wicket" Bumfluff is the stubble a youngman develops during adolesence.

, and the gubber had snitched a parcel (buying a ticket or a package is a term for being killed) sausage end and gone goose over stumps frog side.

snitched means to steal or gossip about someone, sausage end is Germany or somewhere related to Germany, gone over stumps is being defeated by the batsman in cricket, frog side is France"
and then Blackadder responds, "Meaning?"

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The essential joke is Blackadder is a professional soldier and middle class, whilst George is a recent graduate from Cambridge and comissioned directly into the military. So whilst they are in the same unit at roughly the same rank they speak a completely different language.

The British class system is an endless source of inspiration for conflict and humour.

Quote: beaky @ 27th March 2016, 11:14 AM BST

The British class system is an endless source of inspiration for conflict and humour.

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Quiet boy and fetch me a pink gin.

B'AAAHHH!!

You're not a secret Latvian, are you?

https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/23472/

EDIT: It seems that tiddly winks competition in Cambridge started in 1955.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiddlywinks

Basically the Oxbridge "elite" didn't have to face the enemy and pushed the working class canon-fodder into the front line.

Quote: Chappers @ 28th March 2016, 9:22 PM BST

Basically the Oxbridge "elite" didn't have to face the enemy and pushed the working class canon-fodder into the front line.

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They were behind them though. About 35 miles behind

Goes Forth is my favourite series because of the setting and the final scene showing them going over the top in slow motion and then the poppy field is one of the most memorable scenes in British comedy. I can remember when it was first broadcast and everyone was talking about it the next day.

Quote: Definitely Tarby @ 28th March 2016, 9:42 PM BST

Goes Forth is my favourite series because of the setting and the final scene showing them going over the top in slow motion and then the poppy field is one of the most memorable scenes in British comedy. I can remember when it was first broadcast and everyone was talking about it the next day.

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Careful, a few people on here think that's a mawkish scene!

Personally, though, I agree that it's one of the most memorable scenes in British comedy!

Quote: Ben @ 28th March 2016, 10:13 PM BST

Careful, a few people on here think that's a mawkish scene!

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I don't remember Emma Kennedy?

It's partially actual and partially invented Oxbridge argot.

'Sausage end' meaning the German lines, for example.