A survey has shown that many Britons don’t know or understand some of the oldest phrases and sayings of English.
This research was done among more than 2,000 people aged 18 to 50. It found that the 50 most common expressions were at greatest risk of not being used again.
With 78% saying it is not used in their conversations, the term casting “pearls after swine” – which refers to when you offer something useful or valuable that someone does not value – was top of mind.
It originates from the sixth verse of the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament of the bible, as translated by William Tyndale in 1526.
This phrase was used by many of Britain’s most famous writers, including Dickens and Shakespeare.
“Spend an penny”, which means to be able to use the toilet, is a reference to coin-operated locks used in public toilets since the 19th Century.
“Mad as an ahab” is another on the list. Although popularised by the Mad Hatter character in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland story, it was not the original origin of this phrase.
The study found the majority (71 per cent) of modern Brits have never used the saying, ‘nailing your colours to the mast’ to mean, declaring their beliefs openly, a phrase which dates back to the 17th century, when nautical battle colours – or flags – were lowered as a mark of submission.
In naval warfare, it was also a common practice to point one’s canon at the mast of the enemy ship. This disables the vessel.
The captain is usually forced to surrender if all the masts are broken on a vessel.
The captain could decide to fight by lifting the colors from the remaining rigging of the ship, i.e. by “nailing his colours up to the mast”.
The research found that 70 percent of Brits below the age 50 might be able to say goodbye by giving a cheerful ‘pip pip.
The first time it was used was 1907, and the idea that it originated from imitating a horn’s sound is what led to its popularity.
You may be able to ‘know your onions’, which means you have some knowledge or experience on the subject. However, 68% of Brits never hear of it or used it in conversation.
In terms of its origin, some suggest it comes from British lexicographer and grammarian C T Onions, who worked on the Oxford English Dictionary in the 1960s.
It is claimed, however, that it was born in 1940, when Harper’s Bazaar published the first issue in America in 1922.
This was just one example of the many phrases that referred to being knowledgeable or having a good knowledge of one’s subject, which circulated during the 1920s.
Other tasks included knowing one’s oatmeal, oil and apples as well as one’s eggs.
“A wink is as good a nod” is a British saying that signals are not necessary to indicate willingness to do a task. This is in contrast to 66% of Brits.
This expression dates back to 16th century. The longer form of the phrase is “A nod is the same as a wink for a blind horse.”
The study found that 60% of the participants believed the old proverb, “a stitch in ten saves nine”.
Another classic is’spend one penny’ which means you must use the lavatory. This refers to coin-operated locks that were used on public toilets during the 19th century.
The phrase ‘Mad As a Hater’ also appears on this list. It was popularised in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland as the Mad Hatter, but the source of it is older than that.
Mercury, which was used to make hats in ancient times, was thought to be a neurotoxin that caused hatters to appear insane and tremble.
It is well-known that mercury compounds were used to make 19th century hats. Mercury poisoning, also known as Mad Hatter’s Disease today, can still be traced back to the use of these mercury compounds.
‘Knackers yard’ is also on the list – which dates back to the 19th century and refers to places where old and injured animals, usually horses, were killed – as is ‘curtain twitcher’ which is a nosy person who watches his or her neighbours, typically from a curtained window.
This survey was done using a national representative sample of 2000 adults aged 18 to 50.
However, there are still some fascinating phrases left. In fact 73% believe it’s a shame that these expressions end.
The term “curtain-twitcher” refers to someone who is curious about his/her neighbours. This usually happens from a curtained windows.
The list also includes ‘Knackers yard.’ This is a 19th-century term that refers to areas where injured or old animals were often killed, typically horses.
Ellie Glason, Perspectus Global, who conducted the survey, said that it was interesting to observe how the language changes and evolves over time.
“It seems that many phrases once used in Britain are not being used anymore.
Although many phrases and sayings are in decline, 4 out 5 Brits think we have the best descriptive and richest language anywhere.