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WorldWatch - Lionel Wijesiri
Bunkum
Meaning: Empty or insincere talk - claptrap.
In 1820, Felix Walker, who represented Buncombe County, North
Carolina, in the U.S. House of Representatives, rose to address the
question of admitting Missouri as a free or slave state. This was his
first attempt to speak on this subject after nearly a month of solid
debate and right before the vote was to be called. To the exasperation
of his colleagues, Walker insisted on delivering a long and wearisome
“speech for Buncombe.”
He was shouted down by his colleagues. His persistent effort made
“buncombe” (later abbreviated “bunkum”) a synonym for meaningless
political claptrap and later for any kind of nonsense. Although he was
unable to make the speech in front of Congress it was still published in
a Washington newspaper. The term became a joke and metaphor in
Washington, then entered common usage
As mad as a hatter
Meaning: Utterly insane
There are a number of theories about the root of this simile. Perhaps
the most intriguing, and also plausible, was offered in “The Journal of
the American Medical Association”. Mercury used to be used in the
manufacture of felt hats, so hatters, or hat makers, would come into
contact with this poisonous metal a lot. We now know that mercury is a
cumulative poison that causes kidney and brain damage. Physical symptoms
include trembling (known at the time as hatter’s shakes), loosening of
teeth, loss of co-ordination, and slurred speech; mental ones include
irritability, loss of memory, depression, anxiety, and other personality
changes. This was called mad hatter syndrome. It’s been a very long time
since mercury was used in making hats, and now all that remains is a
relic phrase that links to a nasty period in manufacturing history.
But mad hatter syndrome remains as a description of the symptoms of
mercury poisoning. Famously, Lewis Carroll wrote about the Mad Hatter in
“Alice in Wonderland” (1865)
Face the music
The phrase means “to receive punishment; to accept the unpleasant
results of one’s actions”
A commonly repeated assertion is that ‘face the music’ originated
from the tradition of a disgraced officer being ‘drummed out’
(dismissed) from his regiment. It was sometimes the practice for the
band to play the ‘Rogue’s March’ on such an occasion. A second popular
theory may have been the pit orchestra in a theatre; a nervous actor who
steeled himself to go on stage would be facing the music (as well as the
audience). A third theory, relates to the old UK practice of West
Gallery singing. This was singing, literally from the west galleries of
English churches, by the common peasantry who weren’t allowed to sit in
the higher status parts of the church. The theory was that the nobility
were obliged to listen to the vernacular songs of the parishioners,
often with lyrics that were critical of the ways of the gentry. In any
event, the saying was common use by 1850s.
Straight from the horse’s mouth
The cliché means “from the highest authority.”
There seem to be two possible origins. The first origin is the more
credible of the two. A horse’s age can be determined by studying the
teeth carefully. Old-timers could easily do it and so could anyone who
cares to learn.. Hence, your information would be correct and, straight
from the horse’s mouth.
The second one relates to horse racing, specifically betting on
races. If one was looking for a sure bet, you would most probably run
into “somebody in the know” who would be able to give you that golden
tip. If questioned as to his source, the answer would most probably be
“straight from the horse’s mouth”, and no further explanation would be
necessary. This means, the source is someone as close as possible to the
horse, as in a stable employee or jockey that has inside information not
available to others`
Caught red-handed
“To be caught red-handed” means that you have been caught in the act
of doing something illegal. No excuses or alibi’s can be used, as your
transgression is obvious, visible and undeniable. The most common origin
for the term red-handed is Scottish, (in 1400s), specifically related to
poaching. In order to punish a poacher the legal system had to have
undeniable proof the accused was guilty. After killing and skinning an
animal, the poacher would have blood on his hands, and this would be the
necessary proof required. Poacher was caught red hand, i.e. with blood
on his hands.
To be continued |
