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I received the following tidbits of scholastic trivia in a email and found it extremely interesting and enlightening.
No source citations were provided and I do not claim ownership of the stories nor do I attest to their veracity. I simply found them interesting and wanted to share them.
Please share your tidbits of knowledge concerning phrases that we take for granted in our everyday conversation to enlighten us all.
In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of thumb"
Many years ago in Scotland , a new game was invented. It was ruled “Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden”. And thus, the word GOLF entered into the English language.
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes, the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase...”Goodnight , sleep tight”
It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.' It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"
Many years ago in England , pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired by this practice.
Your comments, contributions and remarks are welcome and appreciated
