Uh-huh, yeah, that is right...Monday is here. Have you ever read...probably not but I am going to ask it anyway...have you ever read The Oxford English Dictionary Unabridged? I do not mean have you ever looked up the origin of a word in it. I mean have you ever read it like a novel? I used to read it like that and people used to laugh at me for it. But honestly, it is awesome! It is the most interesting collection! First of all, you have to find a library that owns it and it does not come inexpensively. Then, when you locate the library, usually it is behind lock and key. Then, you have to ask to have a librarian to fetch the volume you are interested in which is no small physical feat. He/she will return with a quite large book that is usually put in a cradle or large book stand. After that, you can read until your little beating heart is quite content probably after you have surrendered all of your personal belongings so you cannot do harm to the book or try to leave with a page of it. It is compelling reading material, let me tell you. It is the definitive record of the English language. It marries my two loves...words + history = BLISS!!!! Now, you understand why I enjoyed reading it so much! It contains all of these fascinating tidbits like the first time ever recorded that a word was used, how it was used, when it was put into a phrase. You can find the original meanings to quotes. The OED is accessible online since 2000 but nothing replaces those volumes for me. I can spend hours pouring over the pages in its massive 20+ volumes.
Long story suddenly short...in the OED you can find things like this "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." What does that mean and why a bird? Why not a cat in the lap is worth two in the barn? The phrase is a medieval phrase. Training a bird of prey was a common sport in those days. It actually means to have a bird such as a hunting falcon which is a bird one would hold on the hand is a more valuable thing than to have the already captured prey of a falcon. In other words, having a likely valuable possibility is better than having a less valuable done deal. Today, the meaning is used in a slightly different fashion than its original intention. And that my friends concludes the first edition of 'Sayings, proverbs and quotes'. Come here next Monday for another riveting installment!
2 comments:
well....alrighty then....and to think I sit with the entire set practically within reach every day!
If I sat within reach of it, I would never get my nose out of it. My closest copy of it is at TCU. I could look at it on Saturdays at UTA but it is not on my floor. You are SO lucky!!!
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