When it comes to idioms, make sure you're not barking up the wrong tree

Knowing the etymology of foreign idioms: useful for translation and a great conversation starter

Arguably one of the biggest challenges a translator or interpreter has to face is rendering idioms or proverbs into their target language. Obviously there are coping strategies or solutions we can find to bypass the need for an exact equivalent, such as maintaining the lexical meaning of the idiom while choosing a more generic equivalent in the target language, to simply convey the message. We don't always need to find the perfect match, that renders both meaning and form, but since we are perfectionists, we strive to do our best and sometimes we do manage to come up with brilliant, elegant solutions. In order to do this, we first need to actually understand the idioms we are dealing with. That is why when I first saw the Dictionary of Idioms [1] in a bookshop, I knew I had to buy it!

As linguists we are naturally fascinated by obscure, archaic and arcane expressions and words. Knowing what they mean is certainly extremely useful, but one might argue that it's also interesting to know where they come from. This dictionary does exactly that: it gives you an explanation of the idiom, but it also provides an etymological excursus regarding the expression, along with examples drawn from literature/the press. The dictionary's index groups the idioms into several different thematic spheres/categories, such as: idioms from ancient legends, idioms featuring alliteration, idioms from the Bible or from warfare, and so on. At the very end of the volume, there is also an alphabetical list of all the idioms presented and the page number where you can find them.

At times we might use idioms while fully understanding their meaning, but without knowing how they came about, and what the story behind the idiom is. This dictionary helped me discover some curious “back stories” for several idioms that I was using on a regular basis, while also allowing me to learn fancy new expressions. Not to mention that knowing the story behind the idiom can always be a great conversation starter at a dinner party with linguists!

As I was browsing through the dictionary I stumbled upon several expressions that tickled my fancy and made a note of them. I would like to share them with you today, and provide some insight into their origin.

Acid test: a foolproof test for assessing the value of something.

German alchemist Andreas Libau was the first person to record the preparation of aqua regia, a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids, that was used to test the purity of gold. The method was used during the American gold rush, while the term started being used metaphorically since at least the late nineteenth century.

Apple of one's eye: anyone or anything loved and protected.

During the rule of the West Saxon kind Alfred (848-899), the pupil at the centre of the eye was known as the apple since it was mistakenly thought to be an apple-shaped solid. Since this part was so essential to vision, it was precious and cherished. When the Bible was translated into English, this expression was used frequently in the text and, subsequently, it became common and widespread.

To bark up a wrong tree: to follow a wrong line of enquiry.

This expression dates back to nineteenth century America and is linked to, believe it or not, racoon hunting! This is because dogs were used to hunt racoons at night and they were instructed to stop and start barking when they encountered one up a tree. If the dog mistook the tree, or got outsmarted by the racoons, the hunters would say that he “barked up the wrong tree”.

Blood, sweat and tears: gruelling hard work.

Poet John Donne first used this expression in his poem “First Anniversary” (1611) and it was later employed by Byron, Robert Browning and even the likes of Winston Churchill in his acceptance speech as Prime Minister in 1940. Nowadays, the phrase is most commonly attributed to Churchill, despite the fact that Donne came up with it more than 300 years before the late PM.

Not to hold a candle to: to be inferior to.

In the sixteenth century, when tasks had to be performed after nightfall, a candle was necessary. Usually, the candle holder was a servant or someone who was not essential for performing that specific task. Therefore, if someone is considered “not fit to hold a candle” to their master, it means that he/she was deemed incapable of even the most basic, simple task.

To send to Coventry: to ostracise, to refuse to speak to someone.

There are two versions to this origin story. According to the first one, during the British Civil War, supporters of the Parliament in Birmingham captured several of their fellow citizens who had pledged allegiance to the Crown. They killed some of them, while they sent others to Coventry, a city known for being pro-Parliamentarian. This story was actually attested in the Earl of Clarendon’s account of the events.

The second theory is that the people of Coventry resented having soldiers stationed in their town and forbade their women from talking to them. Therefore, soldiers saw Coventry as an unsociable place to be stationed in due to the inhospitable environment and people.

Hobson's choice: no alternative, no choice at all.

Thomas Hobson (1544-1631) ran a livery stable in Cambridge. His clients could never choose what horse they wanted to ride, as Hobson always offered them the one closest to the door, to ensure his horses were never tired thanks to this rotation. Hobson also delivered letters to the University of Cambridge and Milton even dedicated some verses to him after his death. There is also a street in Cambridge that bears his name.

To be on the wagon: abstaining from drinking alcohol.

This term was coined during the era of the Temperance movement in America. It refers to the wagons of water that were used to clean the streets of dust and to dampen them. People who practised abstinence said that they would rather drink the water from those wagons than drink alcohol.

To meet one's Waterloo: to suffer defeat after initial success.

The last expression I will include in my list refers to Napoleon’s last and overwhelming defeat against the allied forces at Waterloo. This put an end to his dreams of creating a European empire and led to his abdication and imprisonment on the island of St Helena. The interesting part is that this figurative, metaphorical meaning of the expression came into place only one year after his defeat! It did not take long for reality to make its mark on language. (Or is it the other way around, perhaps?)

What about you? How many of these "origin stories" did you already know? Have you been using some of these idioms without actually knowing where they originated from?

[1] Flavell, L. & Flavell, R. (2016). Dictionary of Idioms. London: Kyle Cathie.