I got this idea from a TV show I watched earlier this week,
and where better to put it then on here. Ever think about where the expressions
people say originate from? Well I have, so here I am to share my findings with
you.
Taking it as it
is/ accepting something difficult.
Can you
imagine living in 1846 where this saying came around? When soldiers had to get
surgery during battle they did not have pain meds to numb the pain, so the surgeon
had the men bite down on bullets to help with the pain and so they would not
scream, ouch!
Being in a bad mood/
getting up in one.
Back in the day the left side of anything was considered
evil, couldn’t imagine if you were left-handed, you would be thought of as completely
sinister. Anyways, to chase evil away, people would put the left side of the
bed up against the wall so that people had no choice but to wake up in a good
mood; on the right side of the bed.
To show how a person really is.
Ships would
try to confuse the enemy by flying different colored flags than what their real
colors were, but the rules of war stated that before firing they had to show
their true colors.
Saved from a bad situation.
Back in the
1900’s being buried alive was a real thing, it actually happened a lot. They
came up with a coffin that had a bell on it, so if by chance you were buried
alive you could ring the bell and people at the graveyard would hear it and dig
them out.
A common standard.
In the 17th
century it was legal for a husband to beat his wife with a ruler since a ruler
is usually no wider than a man’s thumb.
Illegally crossing
the street.
When Jay birds fly outside of where they know they act confuse. Amused with there irregular behaviors people began using the expression “Jaywalker” to explain crossing the street illegally.
Giving it your all/
trying your best.
During World
War II the pilots received 9-yards of ammunition, so when they attacked their
enemy they gave it all they had, the nine yards.
To quit something suddenly.
When people withdrawal
from drugs their skin becomes clammy and gets goose bumps. It reminds people of
the skin of a plucked turkey.
So bloging is still very new to me and I really do not
understand other than saying it is like a giant Facebook. So anyone with any
insight, please feel free to share.
I think blogging and Facebook are similar, however blogging is just a long-form way of sharing information, or things that are interesting to you.
ReplyDeleteI think this post is awesome. I love learning about the etymology of the things we say.
In addition to "Saved by the Bell," saying that a person is a "dead ringer for..." comes from the same situation. Townsfolk would see a person who they thought was dead.
Very interesting topic choice for a blog post. While you do add in a bit of your own commentary when you provide the origins of these idioms, you need more of your own voice here. For instance, creating more of an introduction into this topic and a commentary at the end (in your own words) would add more authenticity to your post and develop YOUR ideas in addition to the explanations you found else. Doing so would provide you with an opportunity to make connections to the bigger picture and help readers to relate on a deeper level to this topic.
ReplyDeleteAs of 3/27, there are no new posts for AE#2, AE#3, SG#2, & SG#3.
ReplyDeleteI did not know about these "hidden meanings" behind these phrases. Pretty cool to know exactly how they started though. It makes me more interested in exactly how language and phrases change over time.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I really liked reading it!
ReplyDelete