131
What are some idioms that no longer make sense? Can you think of a modern replacement? (lemmy.world)
submitted 3 days ago* by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
205 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I was thinking about the phrase 'The pot calling the kettle black'. It comes from a time where cooking was done over open fires and cookware would become visibly ashy. (Fun fact: It first appears and was perhaps coined by Cervantes in Don Quixote!)

What are some other idioms that have lost their literal connection to time? What would be a good modern replacement?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 33 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (8 children)

That’s because it’s backwards. Should be “eat your cake and have it too”

Edit: While that preserves the form and is recognizable as the common saying, it makes the meaning clearer if phrased as “Eat your cake and still have it”.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 8 child comments
    •
  • [–] 15 points 3 days ago (2 children)

    Also wanting to eat your cake and have it too is supposed to imply you're like a toddler having a tantrum because you're just coming to terms with the rules of object permanence: a person playing peekaboo or hide-and-seek can disappear and still come back, but if you eat your cake it will be ALL GONE!!!

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 10 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

    Even flipped, it's still weird in English with "Having cake" meaning "Eating cake" in most contexts anyway.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •