Oops - checking on dinner and see you have all come up with so many more.
Question remains - is the use of animal terms more prevalent in the English language than any other ? Pity we don't have a more international base really but as this is a UK based garden forum, I shouldn't complain.
Pa's version was ... a poke is a sack ... you shouldn't buy a pig without looking at it carefully ... as my Pa who was a farmer would tell you, you need a sow to have enough teats to feed a decent sized litter and you need a boar to have strong sound back legs and trotters to support him when he 'performs his duty'.
So ...... check before parting with your money!
Last edited: 11 January 2018 17:29:09
“I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh
English is a fantastic language! It has a much larger vocabulary than many other languages and is rich in metaphor and simile. It is possible to express a wide and nuanced range of ideas, experiences and feelings, while the 'refined' and vernacular both contribute to enrich eachother. I love it!
pbff - another good example of just a slight corruption - I suppose a lot are obvious when you really think about it but it's interesting to know the origin.
Not altogether sure this was a good idea...........I swear I could have listed from A to Z when I started this thread but then ?????
However, not just the usage but why ?
In a more modern context, we say someone has trumped someone - was there a Trump before that well loved figure presently in the White House ? I imagine we already know the other word for trump but I'll leave that to everyone's imagination
Lyn - I'd forgotten that one but again why ? It is very descriptive but why would we associate frogs/box/mad ? Weird really.
Thanks to all who have humoured me so far - as usual, you learn something new every day on this forum.
Posts
Oops - checking on dinner and see you have all come up with so many more.
Question remains - is the use of animal terms more prevalent in the English language than any other ? Pity we don't have a more international base really but as this is a UK based garden forum, I shouldn't complain.
Pa's version was ... a poke is a sack ... you shouldn't buy a pig without looking at it carefully ... as my Pa who was a farmer would tell you, you need a sow to have enough teats to feed a decent sized litter and you need a boar to have strong sound back legs and trotters to support him when he 'performs his duty'.
So ...... check before parting with your money!
Last edited: 11 January 2018 17:29:09
English is a fantastic language! It has a much larger vocabulary than many other languages and is rich in metaphor and simile. It is possible to express a wide and nuanced range of ideas, experiences and feelings, while the 'refined' and vernacular both contribute to enrich eachother. I love it!
Obelixx - thank you - the pig in a poke explanation rings a faint bell and I can see the Cat out of the bag in that context too.
We tend to use these expressions from day to day and whilst we all know what we mean, it's interesting to know how they came into being.
Donkey's years
(Was originally 'Donkey's ears' - the long length of a donkey's ears used to describe a long period of time)
Mad as a box of frogs.
From time to time worms turn, apparently
pbff - another good example of just a slight corruption - I suppose a lot are obvious when you really think about it but it's interesting to know the origin.
Not altogether sure this was a good idea...........I swear I could have listed from A to Z when I started this thread but then ?????
However, not just the usage but why ?
In a more modern context, we say someone has trumped someone - was there a Trump before that well loved figure presently in the White House ? I imagine we already know the other word for trump but I'll leave that to everyone's imagination
Lyn - I'd forgotten that one but again why ? It is very descriptive but why would we associate frogs/box/mad ? Weird really.
Thanks to all who have humoured me so far - as usual, you learn something new every day on this forum.
Thick as 2 short planks
Thick as thieves
Face like a back of bus (used predominately in the Black Country)
Correction
Face like a back of a bus