Sagerat Scribbles

• Jun. 23, 2006 - Phraseology Friday - Cat Got Your Tongue?

Posted in Phraseology Friday

I have yet to see any cats running around with spare tongues, and this phrase got me to wondering, if the cat had someone's tongue how did they go about getting it?

I wish now I didn't know.

This phrase is used when someone stands there silenty, saying nothing in return to either an introduction or just disbelief that what you heard was really what you heard. Somone will then pipe up and say, "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

According to CatStuff, this phrase came into being during a time when a liars tongue was cut out and then fed to the king's pet cats. Bleck! (You'll need to scroll down to find this one.)

Now you wish you didn't know.

What? You think I should have kept such knowledge to myself? Speak up, I can't hear you! Cat got your tongue?

• Jun. 24, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by writmm

Aggh....I could have gone the rest of my life without knowing that!

Seriously, I enjoy learning where some of our sayings come from. Thanks:)

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• Jun. 24, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Dell

Interesting! Macabre, but interesting.

I enjoy your writing style too: "I have yet to see any cats running around with spare tongues..." pulled me in from the first line.

But... knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Am I really glad I learned this interesting tidbit? LOL.

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• Jun. 24, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by KarenW

Bleck! That is disgusting!

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• Jun. 24, 2006 - Yuck!

Posted by Sonya

That was quite gross, but very interesting. I really enjoy getting to the root of where a lot of these old sayings come from! For instance, (you may already know this) "raining cats and dogs"...that began when roofs were made out of hay/straw/etc. After a certain period of time, they would start breaking down like compost. The animals would often get on the roof where it was warm because of the decomposing matter that would give off heat. Sometimes when it would rain heavily, the roof would be weakened and any cats and dogs on the roof would fall in...hence raining cats and dogs! Funny, huh!
Thanks for sharing the tongue story...my kids will think it's a hoot!

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• Jun. 24, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by nsremom

LOL!!!! that is sooooo funny. I'm going to tell everyone what a macabre thing we say and we don't even realize it!

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• Jun. 24, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by drewsfamilytx

asgdasdg;jkladgs;jklagsdjkl;

You are such a goof-- that's what I like about you! I always wondered where that phrase came from...and I guess I'll just trust the source here (being YOU) and mention this interesting tidbit to my dh. Yup, he'll think I'm a super-smarty-pants now! :-)

Love,
Marsha

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The politically incorrect ramblings of a sage rat den mother. As well as thoughts on adoption, special needs children, and My Lord and Savior.

About the turtle: Tia Turtle is a character in a new book by Gena Suarez, "And Then Mama Said...It Takes Time to Learn to Read." Kevin Collier is the illustrator and he made me my special avatar, because yes, Tia Turtle is named after Me! (Okay, so I'm bragging. Leave me a correctional comment in love.)