The Millstone Times March 2020

The Logic of Logos and Catchphrases By Pam Teel We’ve all heard them, maybe even used them from time to time but do you really know the meaning and the origins of these phrases. Some have been around for centuries and they are still in use!

You Can’t Get Blood Out Of A Stone- You can’t extract what isn’t there to begin with. It was first found in 1788 in an old English proverb in a collection of letters entitled Winter Evenings by Vicesimus Knox. Scholars argue that it originated first in Italy with the transla- tion being, you can’t get blood out of an inanimate object, and also you can’t get blood out of a turnip and then later translated into English. The phrase is directed at someone who is unwilling to do what you want them to do. In like Flynn- means to be quickly and or empathetically successful; usually in a roman- tic context. Commonly said to be a reference to Actor Errol Flynn who was famous for his swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films and for his flamboyant private life. He was a hard drinking ladies man. In like Flynn means everything is ok, living the good life, everything is going your way! A different kettle of fish - is an alternative to what has been previously considered a different thing altogether. The expression a kettle of fish means a mess or a muddle. De- rives from the saying a pretty kettle of fish. Dating back to the 19th century, it was found mostly in Scotland and North England where fish kettles were commonplace. If you say that something is a different kettle of fish, you mean that it is very different from another related thing that you are talking about. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush- a very old English proverb, which came into language in the 15th century. It warns about taking unnecessary risks. It is better to keep what you have (a bird) than risk getting more and ending with nothing (two birds which are out of your reach) Keep what you have and not risk losing it by going after more. The bird in hand (Falcon) is much more valuable and worth more than two (prey birds) in the bush. Other modern day cultures have their own translations of this saying. In Czech- a sparrow in the fist is better than a pigeon on the roof. In German- the sparrow in hand is better than the dove on the roof. Cut to the Chase - The silent film era scripted this saying. In the early days of cinema, movies sometimes had overly lovey-dovey plots; all leading up to a thrilling ending that usually involved a chase scene. Directors would say "cut to the chase," literally asking to cut to the ending action sequence. The saying became shorthand in Hollywood for getting straight to the film's point, before the phrase made its way into millions of households. How we use it: Avoiding a topic or question in a roundabout way; getting to the point too slowly. Beat around the bush- This one typically gets traced back to old hunting practices. When noblemen went off to hunt, they brought along young assistants who would get the attention of animals hidden in the undergrowth, usually by beating the bush or making noise with a board or a stick. Scot-free - To get away with something without consequences. The origin: A "skot" was an Old Icelandic and Old Norse word for "tax." The word found its way to the English language as "scot," and came to mean something was exempt from tax.

94 The Millstone Times

March 2020