The Origin of Idiomatic Expression
One of those things, as a linguist, that has always called my attention is the origin of idiomatic expressions. Even though I am not a native speaker, I get to use lots of expressions when speaking and try to teach many of them to my university students. Yet we are not really aware of their origin and get to use them as if they have always existed.
A friend of mine, Michael McDonald from Atlanta, Georgia, USA came across this great list of expressions widely used in the United States and sent them to me. It is worth reading and getting acquainted with the origin of some idiomatic expressions.
"God willing and the Creeks don't rise"
Did you know the saying "God willing and the Creeks don't rise" was in reference to the Creek Indians and not a body of water? It was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. He was a politician and Indian diplomat.
While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington . In his response, he was said to write, "God willing and the Creeks don't rise.." Because he capitalized the word "Creeks", it is deduced that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of water.
… but it'll cost you an arm and a leg.
In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms.
Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are 'limbs,' therefore, painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, 'Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg.'
(Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint)
Here comes the Big Wig.
As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year (May and October). Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool.
They couldn't wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term 'big wig.. '
Today we often use the term 'here comes the Big Wig' because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.
Chairman
In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was used for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor.
Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today in business, we use the expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.'
Crack a Smile & Loosing Face
Personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The women would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions.
When they were speaking to each other and if a woman began to stare at another woman's face, she was told, 'mind your own bee's wax.' Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term 'crack a smile'. In addition, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt . . . Therefore, the expression 'losing face.'
Straight laced
Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A proper and dignified woman, as in 'straight laced', wore a tightly tied lace.
Playing with a full deck
Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the 'Ace of Spades.' To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren't 'playing with a full deck.'
Gossip
Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars.
They were told to 'go sip some Ale and listen to people's conversations and political concerns. Many assistants were dispatched at different times. 'You go sip here' and 'You go sip there.'
The two words 'go sip' were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have the term 'gossip.'
Minding your 'P's and Q's
At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep the drinks coming.
She had to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in 'pints' and who was drinking in 'quarts', hence the phrase 'minding your 'P's and Q's'.
Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. However, how to prevent them from rolling about the deck?
The best storage method devised was a square-based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem ... how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others.
The solution was a metal plate called a 'Monkey' with 16 round indentations. However, if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make 'Brass Monkeys.'
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannonballs would come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, 'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.'
(All this time, you thought that was an improper expression, didn't you?)
To conclude, although some of these explanations might not be exact, we have to be certain the idiomatic expressions originated at some point in history and spread among the speakers of languages. We just have to be open to these explanations that got to us on an email.
Jonathan Acuña
EFL Instructor / Curricular Development
San José, Costa Rica
Twitter: @jonacuso
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”
James Madison
