Let’s explore the origin of some common sayings. After writing several columns about sayings like, “Not my cup of tea” and “Straight from the horse’s mouth,” many of you suggested a few others. I have learned that without these sayings and clichés, I wouldn’t have much to say, because I use them frequently.
For instance, “Knock yourself out.” Now, why would anyone want to do that? Yet we hear it constantly. “May I have some of your popcorn?” “Sure, knock yourself out!” This one dates back to the early 20th century, reportedly in Australia. By 1940, it was used in a teaching college newspaper in Texas: “Knock yourself out” means the happy feeling one gets while listening to swing music. Later, the phrase evolved into a synonym for “be my guest” or “go for it.” And, I suppose if you want to take it literally, well, knock yourself out. But that could be painful.
I'm always hearing political pundits say that if a certain candidate makes one more stupid mistake, “That will be the straw that breaks the camel's back.” In other words, the last straw, or the final straw. But how did that overloaded camel become part of our nation's vernacular? We must go back 400 years ago in England to see the origin of that one, which was originally “the last feather that breaks the horse's back.” Over the centuries, the horse became a camel. To this day, as we endure a string of unfortunate events, we realize we can only take so much. The next time something bad happens, that “camel” within us will collapse.
When I was growing up in my parents' general store, an elderly gentleman customer would always exit with a cheery, “See you in the funny papers!” You don't hear that one much anymore, since the newspaper comic pages of yesterday are not as prominent as they used to be. But I always loved that saying. As a kid, “the funny papers” seemed like a happy place to be. For several decades starting in the 1920s, many readers referred to the comics section as the funny papers. In those days, the Sunday comics provided the only color in a black-and-white newspaper, and we looked forward to them each week. Some sources say the popular use of this phrase originated in World War II, when soldiers cherished any source of laughter, even in “The Stars and Stripes,” the military newspaper which carried some comic strips. So when departing, it became a whimsical way of saying “see you later.” One source says the saying fizzled out in the 1950s, but my dear old customer friend would beg to differ. I can vouch for the fact that he still used it as a goodbye into the 1970s. It may have died along with him, but I'm bringing it back today!
One old saying that hasn't gone away is “Drop me a line.” Although our methods of communication have advanced from letters, telegrams, phone calls, and faxes, to text messages and other social media tools, that phrase is still quite common. It dates back to the 1700s, and it simply meant to string a few words together and drop that “line” into the nearest mailbox.
Those of us who are trying to hold on to some vestige of our youth would rather not hear this from a friend: “Hey David, are you still working? I mean, you are getting a little long in the tooth!” That's a cute way of saying, “You're older than dirt!” It originates from 19th-century horse-trading, where the age of a horse was determined by examining its teeth. As horses age, their gums recede, making their teeth appear longer. So I suppose if you want to tell someone that they are past their prime, this is one way to do it.
Finally, if you're ailing, how in the world did you get “under the weather?” Credit goes to sailors of the early 1800s for this one. Taken literally, sailors would go below deck to hide from rough weather to avoid or recover from seasickness. Makes perfect sense now, doesn't it?
Keep sending in your ideas. Until next week, see you in the funny papers!
David Carroll is a Chattanooga news anchor, and his latest book is "I Won't Be Your Escape Goat," available from his website, ChattanoogaRadioTV.com. You may contact him at 900 Whitehall Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37405, or at RadioTV2020@yahoo.com.
