Ok, so this is less Week In Review and more Things That Have Been On My Mind Lately, but as you can see, that is not a very catchy title. But the things that have been on my mind lately are all super important and fascinating especially to people who are new to the English language and are not quite sure of the definition of important and fascinating.
Let’s start!
1. Why are all the Cathys now Kathys? What happened to Catherine that she had to evolve/intelligently design into Katherine?
2. In the palm of your hand. I don’t understand this expression. Why is it good to have something in the palm of your hand? Doesn’t it mean that you’re walking around with a cupped palm so that whatever you have in the palm of your hand doesn’t fall out?
And why am I imagining a baby chick in the palm of your hand?
And then that “eating out of the palm of your hand”– what is that? Why is someone eating that adorable yellow chick out of your hand and why is this something to be desired? If someone is going to be eating out of my hand, I am going to need a pretty substantial hand sanitizer budget.
3. Forks vs. Spoons. Ok, when you eat cake or pie or some other dessert, do you eat it with a fork or a spoon? Because in my experience, Russians pick a spoon and Americans pick a fork. I do not know why that is but I do know that this afternoon when I was confronted with some cake I was very Woe is Me because I couldn’t find a fork and had to eat it with a spoon like a Cossack. In some ways, spoons make more sense, dessert-wise, because it allows for greater surface coverage, but I’m so Americanized now that I need tines for cake.
So, you see, deep thoughts.
Cathy, palms, baby chicks and spoons.
No wonder science is knocking on my door seeking a brain donation.
One year ago ...
- Stress - 2014
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve always thought that “in the palm of your hand” in general was about power–if you hold something in the palm of your hand you can control it and crush it like a bug if you want. Americans like power? Eating out of your hand is maybe more straightforward, though also about power and control–with animals, if you can get them to eat out of your hand they trust you and you have mastered them in some way. Of course, as a native speaker I’ve never thought very deeply about it and maybe I misunderstand the origins.
ABSOLUTELY a spoon!!! What are you, an animal?! God forbid you lose a crumb or a bit of frosting through the tines of a fork!
Twitter: byrnealaina
March 23, 2012 at 1:21 pm
I don’t get most of the idioms out there, including “in the palm of your hand”. (I just impressed myself with knowing that was an idiom). Another example, “a chip on your shoulder”. I think Lays made this one up, but please, keep your greasy chips off my nice shirt.
Oh, maybe it’s that ann with an e thing
“A-n-n looks absolutely dreadful; but Anne-with-an-e is quite distinguished.”
Is a K more distinguished?
I hate the phrase – turned up dead.
If you are dead….. You. Can’t. Turn. Up.
I eat cake with a fork, but I’m not judgemental about silverware choices. Just don’t lick the knife.
You’re supposed to eat cake with a spoon! It’s wrong with a fork.
Twitter: AdorkableKati
March 24, 2012 at 12:17 pm
1) I blame the Russians.
2) it’s a Peep.
3) chopsticks.
Twitter: sellabitmum
March 24, 2012 at 1:21 pm
You really need a spork.
Cathy’s with a C cannot be trusted. Kathy’s with a K are typically extremely intelligent and beautiful and people you should consider sending large amounts of money to, just because.
Cake with a spoon? Ahahahahahahahahaha. Ridiculous.