Last
week, Liam, who was three in June, asked me if we were going to get a pumpkin.
I
replied, " We'll get a pumpkin today. Yes siree, Bob!"
He put his hands on hips and said, "I am not BOB! I am Liam."
Naturally
I laughed out loud.
I researched the origin of that phrase. Some websites
claimed "Bob" was used as a euphemism for the word, "God"
and the idiom came into use at the end of the 19th century. Some said it was
slang, informal and rural colloquialism.
Did you
ever hear or use this phrase? Or am I really dating myself?
According
to the Grammarist, an idiom is a phrase that is more than the
sum of its parts, or in other words, has more of a meaning than the individual
words used in the phrase. Examples include pay the piper, for the birds,
and pulling one’s leg.
Idiom is
also a synonym for dialect, a way of speech particular to a geographical area
that has specific vocabulary, syntax, and grammar. Finally, it can be used to
describe a method of expression particular to a person, time period, or object.
A colloquialism is
a phrase that has risen from verbal speech. The only criteria for this
designation is that the word or phrase be extremely informal. They may
originate from a dialect, but do not have to. Examples include a whole nother, could care less,
and raring to.
Do you care to leave any of your examples? Other than, "So hungry I could eat a horse."
7 comments:
If I was doing something hurriedly and recklessly, my family would say, "You're doing it like you're killin' snakes."
If we took too much of any food on our plate and were unable to eat it, they'd say, "Your eyes were bigger than your stomach."
From Laugh-In we got, "You bet your bippy."
That's all I have for now...
Well, I just used "No siree, Bob!" today. So I HAVE heard that expression.
"Fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down."
"You'd complain if you were hung with a new rope."
"Faster than grease through a goose."
"He doesn't have two nickels to rub together."
"dumb as a door"
"beat with the ugly stick"
and from my childhood
"you ain't the onliest one"
"you make me funny"
"If the good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise"
"Higher than a kite"
"Happier than a pig in slop"
And "Yes sirree, Bob" is very familiar to this gal who's "older than dirt" !
I've heard of Bob! Probably even said it growing up. It's interesting to see where these things originated. Liam sounds like such a smart little man. :)
"Yes sirree, Bob" is in my personal repertoire, so I guess I'm also dating myself! I think Bob is dating a lot of us . . . he really gets around. lol
No wonder it's so difficult for people to learn the English language. It has to be among the toughest to master.
www.patwahler.com
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