Many people use quirky sayings such as “break a leg” or “spill the beans,” but where did they come from, and why do people use them? Some of the reasons are to sound friendly and knowledgeable, show richness in language, and create bonds through different cultures. America isn’t the only place that uses quirky sayings. Many other countries also like to use metaphors to convey meaning in their words. Quirky sayings reflect past events or iconic sayings from literature and art pieces.
Here is a list of 5 well-known sayings and the meanings behind them
Mad as a hatter: Many people think this saying originated from Alice in Wonderland, but they would be incorrect. This saying originated from 17 century France when poisoning spread around hat makers because of the mercury they used. The poisoning was labeled as the “mad hatter disease” because it consisted of terrors, irritability, and shyness. It means to appear crazy.
Turn a blind eye: To turn a blind eye means not a person is not following the rules or attempting to avoid reality. The origins of this saying go back to the story of Admiral Horatio Nelson who held a telescope to his blind eye and stated he didn’t see the signal to stop attacking.
Caught red-handed: To be caught red-handed means to be caught doing something wrong. However, this saying derived from an old English law that prohibited butchers from butchering animals that weren’t theirs.
Give a cold shoulder: This saying means to be unwelcoming or act cold towards someone. This quote goes back to the 1800s when people would serve guests cold meat to hint to the guests that they overstayed their stay.
A pinch of salt: This quote approaches a situation with skepticism. This saying goes back to King Mithridates VI of Pontus who would take a dose of poison every day with a pinch of salt to develop immunity to poison. However, he concluded that he was not immune to poison.
After hearing the history of these sayings, would you still use them? Many people use quirky sayings in their day-to-day life, are you one of these people?
