I am going to take you all on a short journey through time. You ready? Seat belts on?
About a year ago, Insane Mama and I were sitting at our favorite coffee shop enjoying a fun game of Scrabble (There will be a post on Scrabble) while eavesdropping on everyone around us. Now, I have to say that what the eavesdropping sparked was a long and drawn out competitive yet collaborative venture that we enjoyed for months to come.
At the coffee shop that day, we heard some of the most ridiculous pick up lines, witnessed horrifying first dates and a plethora of odd people having conversations with their, clothed, dogs. But the funny thing was that what caught both of our attention was when a woman, sitting with her friend made a comment regarding it “raining cats and dogs” and if that was not enough, she followed that, a few minutes later by saying something about a goose and a gander.
Insane Mama and I, at the same moment decided that it was extremely important to put together a list of all of the sayings that really “got our goats.”
As we began this list, we attempted to not only figure out what some of them meant, but why they became sayings and what their origin was.
Our list was somewhere between 50 and 100 …..and now I can’t find the list. All that time, effort and “important” research …down the drain.
So here is what I am asking of you.
Please post a comment with a saying that really “gets under your skin”, why it bugs you and what you think the origin is.
We’re not going anywhere.
2 days ago
7 Comments:
First off, I have to tell you I love these old sayings, and often look up where they originated. When I use one, I can usually explain it..
1. To get "gypped"... Origin is from traveling bands of Gypsies blamed for scamming the locals out of whatever..
2. "Hung for a sheep, hung for a goat"- Doesn't matter... you've been hanged!
3. "Mad as a Hatter" Back in the day when beaver skin top hats were in style, the people who made these hats cured them with mercury- which we know now is poisonous to humans. Syptoms of mercury poisoning can be a person "acting crazy"...
When a "saying" seems to make no sense, I try and find out why!
"raining cats and dogs" Comes from when people had thatched roofs and the animals slept in the "lofts"
When it rained, the roof would fall and down would come the cats and dogs.
MY sister told me this, so it must be true!
I like the "Mad hatter" explanation
What about "Ducks in a row"
Where does that come from?
I hate that one.
Basket case - Originally came from British describing quadruple amputee soldiers coming back from World War I - gruesome and cruel.
Shit happens. Because it does.
"Beggars can't be choosers." I don't know where it came from, but my mom used this on me when I didn't like some of the hand-me-downs I used to have to wear. And I always thought, "Yes, they can. They can choose. They can choose not to wear this ugly stuff!"
I hate the one: "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach".
Go to goenglish.com for more sayings and their meanings.
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