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theradioghost
<https://theradioghost.tumblr.com/post/622654818849341440/dead-metaphors-are-really-interesting-honestly-and>
:
dead metaphors are really interesting honestly and specifically i’m
interested in when they become malapropisms
like, the concept being, people are familiar with the phrase and what
people use it to mean metaphorically, but it’s not common knowledge anymore
what the metaphor was in literal reference to. people still say “toe the
line” but don’t necessarily conjure up the image of people standing at the
starting line of a race, forbidden from crossing over it. people still
say “the cat is out of the bag” without necessarily knowing it’s a sailors’
expression referring to a whip being brought out for punishment. some
metaphors are so dead we don’t even know where they come from; like, there
are *ideas* about what “by hook or by crook” references, but no one is
entirely sure. nobody knows what the whole nine yards are.
and then you throw in a malaprop or a mondegreen or two, where because
people don’t know what the actual words of the expression refer to, they’re
liable to replace them with similar sounding words (see “lack toast and
tolerant”). so we can literally go from a phrase referencing a common,
everyday part of life to a set of unfixed, contextless sounds with a
completely different meaning. that’s *fascinating.* what an interesting
piece of the way language and culture are living, changing, coevolving
things.
maybe part of the reason we can’t figure out where some phrases come from
is that over time the words themselves have changed! one of the theories
about “the whole nine yards” is that it’s a variant of “the whole ball of
wax,” which some people *further* theorize was originally “the whole
bailiwick,” meaning just “the whole area”! the addition of “nine yards”
might be related to “dressed to the nines,” which might reference the
fucking *Greek muses!* language is so weird and cool! (and I only know any
idioms in two languages!)
the point is. I just came across the words “nip it in the butt” in a piece
of published, professional fiction, and now I can’t stop giggling.
Huh I was taught matter-of-factly that “the whole nine yards” refers to a
great kilt which is made simply of nine yards of fabric, woven to size, and
that you have to pleat yourself every time you put it on.
source: my dad owns one, and that’s what it is and that’s how he puts it
on. It’s easier to wear a regular kilt that’s got the pleats sewn in, and
it’s made of slightly less fabric. but for occasions requiring full pomp
and circumstance, he gets out the whole nine yards.
i never knew that was controversial. Now I do!
theradioghost
<https://theradioghost.tumblr.com/post/622654818849341440/dead-metaphors-are-really-interesting-honestly-and>
:
dead metaphors are really interesting honestly and specifically i’m
interested in when they become malapropisms
like, the concept being, people are familiar with the phrase and what
people use it to mean metaphorically, but it’s not common knowledge anymore
what the metaphor was in literal reference to. people still say “toe the
line” but don’t necessarily conjure up the image of people standing at the
starting line of a race, forbidden from crossing over it. people still
say “the cat is out of the bag” without necessarily knowing it’s a sailors’
expression referring to a whip being brought out for punishment. some
metaphors are so dead we don’t even know where they come from; like, there
are *ideas* about what “by hook or by crook” references, but no one is
entirely sure. nobody knows what the whole nine yards are.
and then you throw in a malaprop or a mondegreen or two, where because
people don’t know what the actual words of the expression refer to, they’re
liable to replace them with similar sounding words (see “lack toast and
tolerant”). so we can literally go from a phrase referencing a common,
everyday part of life to a set of unfixed, contextless sounds with a
completely different meaning. that’s *fascinating.* what an interesting
piece of the way language and culture are living, changing, coevolving
things.
maybe part of the reason we can’t figure out where some phrases come from
is that over time the words themselves have changed! one of the theories
about “the whole nine yards” is that it’s a variant of “the whole ball of
wax,” which some people *further* theorize was originally “the whole
bailiwick,” meaning just “the whole area”! the addition of “nine yards”
might be related to “dressed to the nines,” which might reference the
fucking *Greek muses!* language is so weird and cool! (and I only know any
idioms in two languages!)
the point is. I just came across the words “nip it in the butt” in a piece
of published, professional fiction, and now I can’t stop giggling.
Huh I was taught matter-of-factly that “the whole nine yards” refers to a
great kilt which is made simply of nine yards of fabric, woven to size, and
that you have to pleat yourself every time you put it on.
source: my dad owns one, and that’s what it is and that’s how he puts it
on. It’s easier to wear a regular kilt that’s got the pleats sewn in, and
it’s made of slightly less fabric. but for occasions requiring full pomp
and circumstance, he gets out the whole nine yards.
i never knew that was controversial. Now I do!
