Introduction
In the current generation with the increased level of the technological advancement and the uses, people generally uses some of the common phrases which are the part of the every day life. The category of the people includes both the adolescents and the adults using these phrases and idioms that originated way back and have long histories (Algeo and Butcher). The thesis statement of the essay argues with the fact to highlight the history behind the use of the common phrases in the everyday language. The thesis statement furthermore illustrates the expressions that is being used in the context of the cultural, historical or war related origin.
Discussion
The historical origin of expression ranges back to diverse fields and often meant completely opposite in the historical times as compared to the use in the current era (Forman). Tracing back to the history of the common phrases people find some of the pretty answers regarding the actual meaning of the terms and the phrases that are generally being used by people in the current generation. In the context of the famous phrase of giving cold shoulder to someone, the phrase means intentional ignorance or unfair treatment towards someone. But as per the origin of the phrase, the historical context of the phrase, giving cold shoulder had been the sign of being polite in the mediaeval England. This was practised by the offering of cold meat slice from the shoulder of pork or beef indicating the time of departure of the guest.
One of the most commonly used expression that is being used in the current decade is bless you after any individual sneezes. Dated back in the era of the 6th century, this particular phrase was used after sneezing since that was considered as the initial sign of infection.
The religious and the cultural expression of the basic and commonly used phrases in the current era furthermore had some of the varied meanings (Ardila). In the context of the phase, butter some one up which explains the meaning or the intention of impressing someone, the phrase meant something different as per the religious and the cultural context. Way back in the tradition of India, the phrase meant throwing butter balls to goddess statue for seeking their favour. Furthermore in Tibet, the phrase meant the construction of butter made statue of the goddess in the time of new year for bringing peace and happiness. Expressions like cat got your tongue which means loss of words originated way back in the Egyptian time where cats were considered to be the god.
The expressions that had its origins at the war time, have still been in the use among the common people in their skills of communication (Antonsich). Expressions like biting the bullet that originated during the warfare in case of emergency surgeries of the soldiers for combating the surgery pain, current mean accepting the difficult situation. Furthermore expression like go the whole nine yards which current means trying out the best originated during the world war II when the pilots were assigned to give the chain of the ammunition for the measurement of the nine yards.
Summary
Thus it can be summarised that the expressions and the phrases that is generally used by the people of the current generation in their everyday communication and daily talk originated and belongs from the era that is way back. The essay highlighted the differences of the meanings of the currently used phrases in terms of historical, cultural and war time originated phrases.
Conclusion
Thus it can be concluded that the expressions and the phrases
that is generally used by the people of the current generation in their
everyday communication had some different meanings when they actually
originated.
Reference
Algeo, John, and Carmen A. Butcher. The origins and development of the English language. Cengage Learning, 2013.
Antonsich, Marco. “The ‘everyday’of banal nationalism–Ordinary people’s views on Italy and Italian.” Political Geography 54 (2016): 32-42.
Ardila, Alfredo. “Origins of Language.” Historical Development of Human Cognition. Springer, Singapore, 2018. 9-41.
Forman, Helen. “Events and children’s sense of time: a perspective on the origins of everyday time-keeping.” Frontiers in psychology 6 (2015): 259.
