Idiom #3
No Comments »7th August, 2006; Category: Idioms
Today I continue my fascination with idioms. These sayings add so much colour to our interesting language.
This week’s idiom should be familiar to most people:
… to climb on the bandwagon…
This saying is used in many contexts and in particularly popular with our press and news broadcasters.
“To climb (or jump) on the bandwagon” means to support another person, group, organisation or cause in order to achieve some personal gain or advantage.
It seems that the origin of this popular saying lies in early American political campaigns. Electioneering in America has always been an upbeat affair, usually accompanied by music (pun intended). A political rally would be announced by a musical band on a horse-drawn wagon which would be taken through the streets of the town. As the procession proceeded through the town supporters would climb on the wagon with the band, joining the candidate and showing their allegiance. Not all who climbed aboard were loyal supporters; some were there only to gain favour if the candidate was successful.
Things haven’t changed all that much. Still we have those who will “climb on the bandwagon” in order to “feather their own nest.”
Related Links:
Wikipedia has some interesting extra things to say, particularly on on what is called “the bandwagon effect” as used in science (click here).
Idiom #2
No Comments »31st July, 2006; Category: Idioms
This week’s idiom is
“the lion’s share”
This saying means the greater or larger part of something, as in ‘the fat boy ate the lion’s share of the cake.’
Its origin is quite interesting. Until I did some research on this I was unaware that this saying has its origins in an Aesop fable.
Wikipedia explains the fable like this:
In the fable, a lion, fox, jackal, and wolf go hunting, successfully killing a deer. It is divided into four parts; the lion taking the first quarter because he is king of the beasts, the second quarter because he is the arbiter (presumably, of who gets which portions of the deer), the third quarter because of his help in catching the deer, and finally, the fourth quarter for his superior strength.
See also my article “What is an idiom?”
Idiom #1
As I wrote last week I am fascinated by idioms. I’m not sure about other English speaking countries, but here in Australia the idiom is ‘alive and kicking.’ I guess that you are waiting with bated breath for me to spill the beans. The truth is, I am one who can boast that I’ve actually had a story bristling with idioms published in a magazine; naturally I was on cloud nine when that happened.
This week’s idiom
‘alive and kicking’
This one seems obvious as to its meaning; if something or someone is ‘alive and kicking’ it means that they are lively, well, healthy and very active. One writer has suggested that its origin is as a fishmonger’s term. If his fish are ‘alive and kicking’ they are so fresh that they are still flapping about.
Another possible explanation has a medical origin. It refers to the last months of pregnancy when a mother is often aware of her baby’s movements in the womb. If the baby is ‘alive and kicking’ all is well.
Related Article:
What is an Idiom?
Idioms fascinate me.
They certainly can add some interesting colour to speech and writing. As a teacher of 7 and 8 year olds I liked to have a series of lessons on identifying, understanding and using idioms. The students were usually fascinated by them and enjoyed the lessons.
So- just what is an idiom?
I guess you are waiting with bated breath for me to bite the bullet, stick my neck out and give you my definition. In doing so I might just bite off more than I can chew and have my readers haul me over the coals.
Enough.
I will chicken out and quote Wikipedia:
An idiom is an expression (i.e. term or phrase) whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal definitions and the arrangement of its parts, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through conventional use. In linguistics, idioms are figures of speech that contradict the principle of compositionality.
In the English expression to kick the bucket, a listener knowing only the meaning of kick and bucket would be unable to deduce the expression’s actual meaning, which is to die. Although kick the bucket can refer literally to the act of striking a bucket with a foot, native speakers rarely use it that way.
So there you have it.
Clear as mud (oops – now I’m into similes).
Over the coming weeks I plan to highlight an idiom every Monday. I also plan to post several stories I have written containing an unbelievable number of idioms. One has actually been published in a print magazine too.
To read more about idioms click here.