WHERE DID THAT "SAYING" ORIGINATE? ("Life in the 1500s")

Posted by Thomas Alan Gray Sep 9, 2009

Maybe you've received an email that makes claims about the origin of various expressions. Some versions are titled "Life in the 1500s" The one I received contained a couple of dozen sayings, among them:

• "piss poor"
• June brides, and the reason for bridal bouquets
• "dirt poor"
• "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater"
• "raining cats and dogs"

The email concluded, "And that's the truth...Now, whoever said History was boring ! ! ! So .. . . get out there and educate someone!"

Okay, I will: Most of the contents of that email are nonsense .

It's like the game "Jabberwocky" where players make up a meaning for an obscure word and try to convince other players that it's real.

Check snopes.com for a well-researched and sourced review of this particular bit of garbage.

Educate someone - YOURSELF - by learning to check the nonsense out before you forward it.