Definitions Deconstructed

Say it Ain't So

S. G. Lacey

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Definition:

Idiom = A group of words that are used as a common expression, whose meaning is not deducible from that of the literal words. [REF]

 

Deconstruction:

Everyone has those goofy sayings that they default to.  Their bread-and-butter rebuttals. 

 

Or despise.  Just hearing these gets them bent out of shape.

 

Or overuse.  Like they’re beating a dead horse.

 

Or simply don’t understand.  These oft-confused phrases are of interest to examine from a meaning, origin, and execution standpoint.

 

How many of the common idioms below are you aware of?  What do you know about the language of origin, and historical context, that caused each saying to rise to prominence?  Most importantly, which ones are you using, or spelling, incorrectly? 

 

Death Knell (Nail)

Description:  Signaling the end of an activity, be it an event, or an individual.  A harbinger of impending doom.

Derivation:  A “knell”, an onomatopoeia term, describes the sound of a large bell, often mounted in a church, which is used to inform the town of a death, usually of a famous person.

Debatable:  Confusion is caused by connecting the original saying with another famous phrase, “The last nail in the coffin.”  Both involve death, but should not be conflated or combined.  Unless you want to tap a nail against a bell at a church funeral. 

 

Coming Down the Pike (Pipe)

Description:  An event that is pending, not imminently, but in the future.

Derivation:  The “pike”, short for “turnpike”, dates back to the paved toll roads built in the Northeastern U.S. in the early 20th century.

Debatable:  Both of these versions are widely used today, in roughly a two to one ratio between the original and modern verbiage.  Each has essentially the same meaning, which can be easily interpreted, with preference typically based on the geography or occupation of the user.

 

Beck & (Beckon) Call

Description:  To be available on a moment’s notice, or readily accessible more generally.

Derivation:  Formulated in the age of servitude in Old England, when help was responsive to gestures, “beck”, and verbally, “call”.  This is still the correct execution of this somewhat demeaning saying, often used by aristocrats when interacting with their servants. 

Debatable:  The alternate version is based on a mishearing of the original saying.  Since “beck” is already short for “beckon”, this format is redundant, and voids the original dual meaning, though “beck” has essentially left the modern English lexicon.

 

Forest for (Through) the Trees

Description:  Narrow minded, focused on a short-term or local observation, without seeing the broader perspective.

Derivation:  This saying can be tracked all the way back to an English proverb in 1546.  The wording, specifically the usage of “for”, is cumbersome with today’s grammar, which leads to the confusion.

Debatable:  It’s amusing that a saying which is mean to reference someone who has simple-minded has become a contentious point of intellectual debate.  In reality, neither format makes that much sense when taken literally, but this is still a very commonly used idiom.

 

Wreak (Reek) (Wreck) Havoc

Description:  Inciting mass confusion, widespread panic, and general destruction.

Derivation:  “Wreak”, which means, to cause, is a current British English verb, which is now rarely used in other countries, aside from as part of this saying. 

Debatable:  The confusion here is multifaceted.  One issue is pronunciation, due primarily to the silent “w”.  The other is with spelling, two similar 5-letter words with different meanings.  However, unless your breaking wind in a crowded elevator, or fending off pirate zombies while scuba diving, the traditional spelling is correct.

 

Champing (Chomping) at the Bit

Description:  Anxious to go, ready for action.

Derivation:  The origin is racing, where the animal can’t wait to get out of the gates.  “Champing”, a little-known word, which means to chew loudly, and “bit”, the metal mouthpiece used for control, makes this saying specifically poignant for horse trainers.

Debatable:  Drastically more people use the alternate version of this saying, by over a 10 to 1 ratio, than the original.  Chomping is a more common modern term, also related to mouth movements, which generally gets the same point across.  Feel free to use interchangeably.

 

For All Intents & (Intensive) Purposes

Description:  Essentially, practically, therefore.

Derivation:  Decidedly proper and Old English in format, this text actually dates back to a British Parliament Act in the 16th century.

Debatable:  Another shift in pronunciation over time, combining two words into one.  The “&” tends to get lost in these days of rapid speech patterns.  When it morphs, the original meaning is lost, changing from wholistic completion, to narrowly focused attention.

 

Pique (Peak) My Curiosity

Description:  Generate interest on a topic, usually due to a discussion or observation.

Derivation:  Unsurprising, based on the “q”, the first word is of French origin, meaning to prick or irritate.  When used in this context, the intent leans more proactive, as opposed too painful.

Debatable:  Linguistic semantics play a large role here, as both could be relevant, depending on the situation.  Are you just starting to getting excited about a conversation, or on the way to become bored, thus ready to move on?

 

One and (in) the Same

Description:  Two things that are essentially identical, even if they don’t look, or seem, as such.

Derivation:  Putting four of the more common words in the English language together, including a short conjunction and preposition, doesn’t leave much room for interpretation.  However, confusion abounds.

Debatable:  When taken literally, using “in” doesn’t make much sense.  Unless you’re a snake eating your own tail, or nested dishes in a kitchen cabinet.

 

Sleight (Slight) of Hand

Description:  Trickery or deception, usually in a deft manner, which the target doesn’t realize.

Derivation:  “Sleight” is a rarely used, but still applicable, word used to describe cunning or nimbleness.  Back in the day, many magicians and carneys aspired to earn this accolade in newspaper reviews of their acts.

Debatable:  Another homonym confusion example, the alternate form is appropriate for a dainty physique, which could be useful for pickpocketing, but is not anywhere close to the original intent.

 

Whet (Wet) Your Appetite (Whistle)

Description:  Arouse one’s interest, not necessarily with relation to sustenance intake.

Derivation:  Lots of words here start with “w”, but “whet” is the rarest, and most important.  This 12th century verb was initially used to describe honing or sharpening, as applied to medieval blacksmiths.

Debatable:  Double confusion, and double meanings.  Use the alternative version for getting drunk, and the original version for heightened intrigue, food related or otherwise.

 

Get Down to Brass Tacks (Tax)

Description:  Tersely focused on the basics, often with regards to planning or strategy.

Derivation:  An homage to 19th century furniture construction; once your upholstery is worn down to the small “brass tacks” securing the fabric, then you are living lean and mean.

Debatable:  It’s not surprising that, with the brass inclusion, people’s minds tend towards coinage, and taxes.  However, nobody likes taxes, or this twisted version of the idiom.

 

Catty (Kitty) (Caddy) Corner

Description:  To be positioned diagonally across relative to another location or person.

Derivation:  The original foundation of the saying is predictable; a traditional city street intersection.  However, the French have confused the world yet again, this time with their number 4, or “quatre”, which was lost in English translation.    

Debatable:  Kitty, while not phonetically close to the French origin, is a fine modern usage.  “Caddy” is related to jamming your golf club carrying helper in the end locker after a round at the country club.  Not a wise move.

 

Idioms get misconstrued and conflated over time for a variety of reasons. 

 

Often, the issue is eggcorns, or mondegreens; essentially mishearing of a word or phrase, often due to dialect or pronunciation differences.  Homophones and homonyms can also be tricky to interpret, especially in verbal, and written, form, respectively.  Sometimes, interpretation errors spawn from a simple spelling mistake, which happens to the best of us, even in this age of computerized support.

 

When using these witty phrases, make sure to check your grammar, definition, and context.  Don’t be an idiom.

 

Details:

• Long list of idioms with descriptions. [REF]

• Text search functionality for idioms, acronyms, thesaurus, and all manner of other interesting verbiage. [REF]

• An extensive dissection of common errors in English language writing.  [REF]

• A deep dive into eggcorns and mondegreens for the literary nerds. [REF]