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Old 10-28-2005, 06:03 AM   #1
Cyclefrance
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Wierd sayings

We were just discussing some of the stranger sayings we have (in UK which perhaps have travelled to the USA), such as;

'I know that place like the back of my hand' - when very few of us know the backs of our hands that well, and where would such a saying have come from anyway??

Equally 'that would be like teaching your granny to suck eggs' - did granny suck eggs? Is it some obsure reference to her absence of teeth thereby rendering egg consumption a sucking affair???

All very confusing.

Any suggestions as to their derivation? Any more that confuse?

A sure sign it's Friday and winding down time....
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Old 10-28-2005, 08:48 AM   #2
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I don't know the origin of those with googling, and somehow that seems like cheating, so I'll just answer questions with more questions if that's ok.

I'm still trying to find the origin of the phrase "More [insert item] than you can shake a stick at" I'm not satisfied by the answers I've found on the internet...

Another stick related query:
I've always assumed the carrot & stick approach referred to a system of motivating by reward. In other words the carrot is dangled in front of the donkey via a long stick, and it strives to reach it.

Recently the phrase seems to imply its either carrot OR stick. So that the donkey is rewarded with a carrot or punished with a stick.

Has the phrase become misunderstood?
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Old 10-28-2005, 09:01 AM   #3
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Jesus H. Christ on a pogo stick.
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Old 10-28-2005, 09:28 AM   #4
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i actually heard an explanation of the term 'sucker' as being derived from old women stealing food from markets by poking a hole in an egg shell and sucking out the contents. it was during a lesson about the great depression, but it may have translated to the UK?
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Old 10-28-2005, 09:32 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Undertoad
Jesus H. Christ on a pogo stick.
I've always wondered what the H stood for... Holy?


I'm having kittens here waiting to find out...
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Old 10-28-2005, 09:34 AM   #6
Cyclefrance
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lumberjim
i actually heard an explanation of the term 'sucker' as being derived from old women stealing food from markets by poking a hole in an egg shell and sucking out the contents. it was during a lesson about the great depression, but it may have translated to the UK?
That would be better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick - is there a saying somewhere about sucking your eyes out...?? Or am I thinking of 'that really sucks'?
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Old 10-28-2005, 09:38 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barefoot serpent
I've always wondered what the H stood for... Holy?


I'm having kittens here waiting to find out...
Our kittens from hell have a new home...meant to tell you...

I thought the 'H' was for Hova as in J.Hova (Jehova) Christ. Probably wrong (wife insists I usually am).
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Old 10-28-2005, 09:46 AM   #8
capnhowdy
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happy as a lark...are larks really that happy?

open up a can of worms...and then what happens?

quiet as a mouse...I hear them all the time.
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Old 10-28-2005, 09:54 AM   #9
barefoot serpent
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Quote:
Originally Posted by capnhowdy
open up a can of worms...and then what happens?
sort of like herding cats
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Old 10-28-2005, 10:19 AM   #10
Cyclefrance
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Quote:
Originally Posted by capnhowdy
happy as a lark...are larks really that happy?

open up a can of worms...and then what happens?

quiet as a mouse...I hear them all the time.
Change the order slightly and there is a logical progression:

open up a can of worms - and that will attract a lot of larks who once they have consumed the worms will be as....

happy as a lark - but all this feeding activity will likely attract other predatorial birds like hawks, kestrels and falcons who are particularly fond of those small furry creatures known as mice, so if the mice want to have a chance to survive they will need to be....

quiet as a mouse - which as you say isn't that quiet, hence a lot of them still get eaten...

Natures way of balancing the species, I suppose (BTW, wife says I'm wrong.....)
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Old 10-28-2005, 11:08 AM   #11
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Sick as a parrot ( pre-dates avian flu so what caused the saying in the first place?)

Cuts the mustard - meaning: comes up to scratch (which could be another one except I think it has connections with golf and being a scratch/zero handicap player, but it may pre-date this)
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Last edited by Cyclefrance; 10-28-2005 at 11:17 AM.
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Old 10-28-2005, 11:36 AM   #12
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It is carrot and stick. The phrase implies reward for doing well and punishment for doing poorly.
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Old 10-28-2005, 11:37 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barefoot serpent
I've always wondered what the H stood for... Holy?


I'm having kittens here waiting to find out...

Hopping.
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Old 10-28-2005, 12:00 PM   #14
Radar
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Jesus Harold Christ
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Old 10-28-2005, 12:27 PM   #15
xoxoxoBruce
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Quote:
I've always assumed the carrot & stick approach referred to a system of motivating by reward. In other words the carrot is dangled in front of the donkey via a long stick, and it strives to reach it.
Yes
Quote:
'I know that place like the back of my hand' - when very few of us know the backs of our hands that well, and where would such a saying have come from anyway??
If something appeared or started to grow on the back of your hand wouldn't you notice? It means being able to spot any change right away.
Quote:
Jesus H. Christ on a pogo stick
Heretic ...the H is added to skirt taking the name of the Lord in vain.
Quote:
open up a can of worms...and then what happens?
They wiggle off in every direction at once and you have a big confusing mess.
Quote:
quiet as a mouse...I hear them all the time.
But not running their mouths off, just the noise of doing what they do.
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