7 common expressions that originally did not mean the same thing
Andrew Rich / iStock
The Jungle / Social
In the jungle. We use thousands of expressions to make what we want to say easier, but they do not always convey what we believe. This is the original meaning of some of the most common.
12 August, 201720:41Expressing and speaking are not always the same since it is often difficult to say what we think; hence we use an immense number of phrases and set phrases that save enormously the task of building the conversation. The curious thing is that we use them without fully knowing their original meaning because, what is the true origin of the most common expressions? It is often as curious as it is strange, especially when they were originally used in a different way.
We have chosen these expressions as an example. Surely we all use them daily, they are more than usual. The surprise comes when we dive into its history. Put on your wetsuit, let's get started.
send eggs
This expression made tremendously popular by Federico Trillo means boredom, weariness, but its origin implies a different meaning. As Fundéu details, the expression has its origin in the archaic uebos; which means "need, something necessary". Manda uebos as "send something necessary" has been passed to a negative expression; in addition to the fact that the writing of the word has been adapted to the recognizable "eggs".
the dick
This penis euphemism works for everything. The same exalts (you're the dick) that generates boredom (even the dick). And the curious thing is the origin of the word since it refers to the hen's breeding: pullus, the Latin word to designate chicks. In many Spanish municipalities the hen is known in this way, as a chicken. And a curiosity: although it is not confirmed, a tweeter found the key to this euphemism.
The verbatim
Who has not used this expression at some time to indicate that something is done as planned? Follow the instruction manual "to the letter", pay attention to another person in the same way... The fact is that the origin of the adverbial phrase goes back to the times when the text was translated from Latin and the Students wrote down under each Latin word its corresponding Spanish translation. This translation was called "ad pedem litterae". Literally, "to the letter". In Wikilengua you can find a more extensive explanation.
naked
It is not necessary to explain what is the meaning that this expression has now because we all stay this way at some point of the day. The curious thing is that originally it was not used to say that someone was naked, but to express that he had stayed in his clothes to walk around the house. Specifically in "pellón, pellote o pelote", an undergarment made of fur worn by both men and women in the 16th century. So saying "I was in a ball" was equivalent to commenting that they caught him in his underwear, an expression that indicated shame. Over time it evolved in form and meaning to what we understand today as being naked: completely naked. In language capsules you can read the full story. And one last note: the original phrase is "in the ball", singular.
don't scratch me
This modern expression that implies weariness and tiredness has its origin in the 20th century and in an object that many of those who use this expression have never used: the vinyl record. "Scratching" the record indicated surface defects that affected sound quality. From playing the same song on the album so much, it tended to "scratch", hence the meaning that endures to this day, even though it has lost its original meaning.
Frig
We go back to the eighteenth century to place ourselves in the wealthy classes. Among the wealthiest, the consumption of powdered tobacco or snuff was common. As Alfred López explains in his blog, the gentlemen retired to a separate room to snort snuff without disturbing the rest of the guests, since inhaling powdered tobacco used to cause sneezing and coughing. What great man would want to be seen in those circumstances? So the expression "getting laid" indicated that this person was snorting tobacco. Over time it evolved due to another common custom in the wealthiest families: promiscuity. Hence, the gentlemen could be absent both to hit the tobacco and to let off steam; ending in a euphemism for practicing sexual relations regardless of whether it is with the partner or with another person.
Cool
This verb that we use on a daily basis and that was made fashionable by the young people of the 90s has its origin in Caló, the dialect of the Romani language spoken by the Spanish gypsies. Despite the fact that in Spanish when something "cool" implies that it is pleasant and liked, in the gypsy dictionary we see that its original meaning is not very similar: in caló molar it refers to "worth, produce, take advantage of". You see, in its original form the verb is not so cool.
