Idioms are among the many joys of the English language, and they often come with an interesting backstory. Some of them are humorous — for example, “letting the cat out of the bag.” This turn of phrase comes from the Middle Ages, when a seller would swindle a customer by placing a cat in a bag instead of the pig they thought they purchased (cats being less valuable than pigs, apparently). Other idioms in our collective vocabulary come from loftier sources. Let’s explore the origins of some expressions that come from philosophy and religion.
Beg the Question
To “beg the question” means to raise a question or point that has not been dealt with, or to invite an obvious question to be considered (as well as an opposite usage of “to pass over or ignore a question by assuming it to be established or settled"). It comes from formal logic traditions, and more specifically, the philosophy of Aristotle. An anonymous 16th-century translator read Aristotle’s phrase petitio principii as “beg the question,” although linguist Mark Liberman argues that “assume the conclusion” would have been a more accurate translation for this form of circular reasoning. Liberman says Aristotle originally meant petitio principii to be “the logical fallacy in which an argument assumes the very thing it’s trying to prove.” The most common modern usage of this idiom is for issues that are being discussed but that have an obvious answer. For example, “The problem with litter at the park begs the question: Why aren’t picnickers cleaning up after themselves?”
Take It With a Grain of Salt
To take something “with a grain of salt” means to approach it with a sensible amount of skepticism. While the exact origins of this phrase are unclear, some trace it to the philosopher and naturalist Pliny the Elder, who is believed to have used the phrase in a 77 BCE translation of an antidote for poison. The phrase made its way into mainstream usage as a synonym for “doubtful” and “skeptical” in the 20th century.
Pearls of Wisdom
While generally considered a cliché today, a “pearl of wisdom” is a way to describe wise advice. The phrase in English usage dates back to the early 1800s, but the idea itself comes from the Old Testament. From the book of Job: “No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.”
What Doesn’t Kill Us Makes Us Stronger
This expression is a simplified version of something written in 1888 by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. As translated directly from the German text: “Out of life’s school of war — what doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.” Nietzsche’s writing appeared in a book of aphorisms called Twilight of the Idols, and the simplified phrase has gone on to be repurposed and paraphrased by pop culture figures from Doogie Howser to Kelly Clarkson.
Spill the Beans
To “spill the beans” means to tell a secret. While not exactly philosophical in its origins, the phrase most likely comes from ancient Greece, where one of the voting processes involved beans. Citizens voted by placing one of two colors of beans in a vase, and if someone were to spill the vase of beans, the results of the election would be revealed earlier than intended.
Sour Grapes
We borrow this idiom from the ancient Greek fabulist Aesop, specifically from The Fox and the Grapes. In the fable, a fox wants to eat some high-hanging grapes but can’t reach them. The fox sulks and declares the grapes were probably sour anyway. Nowadays, the phrase “sour grapes” refers to when someone adopts a negative attitude toward something because they can’t have it themselves.
Featured image credit: sarra22/ iStock