I got an email from a cousin that started me thinking, then last night someone said the word "snarky", and I knew there was a blog post forming in my brain!
Is it just me, or did we all just start saying 'snarky'?
But a little web search found that Snarky is Chiefly British Slang, testy, irritable, short. Origin 1910–15; dial , snark, to nag, snork to snort, snore probably.
So really, we're all just using OLD slang! LOL
Want some more surprising origins?
- 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'
- 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'
- 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 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'
- 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.
- 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.
So isn't it ODD how much of our language is OLD slang? Makes you wonder what words our grandkids will be using when they're 40 years old!
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