Johnny-on-the-Spot … by John Foster …

How many times have you used an old saying and never gave a moment’s thought as to how or when it originated?

My research has revealed that many of these comments have historical backgrounds.

“Turn a blind eye.”

It’s the legend of Admiral Horatio Nelson who is said to have put a telescope up to his blind eye at the Battle of Copenhagen.

It appears to be nothing more than a patriotic battlefield myth.

“The customer is always right.”

The actual full phrase is, “The customer is always right in matters of taste”.

It’s sometimes credited to Henry Gordon Selfridge, although it’s disputed historically as being factual.

Selfridge and other pioneering, successful retailers such as Marshall Field and John Wannamaker were known for going the opposite of “Caveat Emptor” (Buyer Beware) which was the attitude common among shoppers “back in the day”.

Some of these phrases and sayings are just simply without any scientific merit

“It’s always darkest before dawn.”

Actually, it’s darkest in the middle of the night, as far as from sunset and sunrise as possible.

It’s more about attitude when bad times close in on you.

“Lightning never strikes the same place twice.”

Tall structures like the Empire State Building gets struck dozens of time every year.

Don’t forget Roy Cleveland Sullivan.

He was a park ranger, nicknamed the “Human Lightning Rod”.

Roy said he was struck by lightning seven times in his lifetime.

“Blind as a bat.”

Most bats aren’t blind and they use “echolocation” to fly and hunt at night.

Some bats see better at night than we humans do.

How did some of these other phrases come about?

“Saved by the bell.”

Popular lore claims it came from the Victorian era with “safety coffins” which were rigged with a bell for people fearful of being buried before they were dead,

Actual credit goes to the world of boxing when a knocked-down fighter was saved by a count-out when the round ends.

“Sweat like a pig.”

Actual pigs don’t have functional sweat glands so they roll in the mud and water to stay cool.

The saying comes from “pig iron” which released moisture as it cooled in sand molds.

But “oinking” pigs can get sunburned.

“Barking up the wrong tree.”

Credit this one to hunters with coon dogs chasing their prey up trees.

The coons would often “skeddaddle” amongst the branches and be several trees away and the dogs would still be barking at the foot of the tree where the raccoon first sought shelter.

We used to have a dog that would do the same thing when chasing squirrels.

She’s sit there, looking up until we lured her away with some doggie treats or another squirrel sprinted by.

Some phrases became shorter over the years and that changed their meaning.

“Blood is thicker than water.”

That comes from “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.”

In other words, chosen bonds run deeper than family ties.

“Curiosity killed the cat.”

The full thought was “Curiosity killed the car but satisfaction brought it back.”

“Jack of all trades, master of none.”

It’s actually “Jack of all trades, master of none though sometimes better than master of one.”

“A few bad apples.”

A couple of bad individuals don’t always ruin a good group.

However, a single rotten apple can emit ethylene gas which can ruing the fruit next to it.

How about these?

“Put a sock in it.”

That’s how folks used to muffle the sound of a gramophone, an early record player.

“Caught red-handed.”

In 15th century Scotland, it meant being found with blood on your hands after a crime had been committed.

I used to have a silvery powder that would turn red when you got it on your hands and tried to rub it off and it was great to determine who was getting into the supply closet.

“Bite the bullet.”

Before anesthesia was perfected, soldiers in particular were told to clamp down on a bullet before the surgery started;

“Cat got your tongue?”

Ancient Egyptians supposedly cut out the tongues of criminals and fed them to the cats.

Others think it came from flogging crew members aboard vessels with a Cat-o-Nine-Tails whip.

“Waking up on the wrong side of the bed.”

That comes from the ancient Roman superstition concerning the left side of the bed being connected to bad luck, evil spirits and misfortune.

Neav makes me sleep on that side.

Hey!

We can “chew the fat” on these if you’d like.

That comes from sailors talking while eating salted meat.