Anonymous Posted 21 years ago
Vocabulary
By God
What does "By God" actually mean? What's the difference between "My God" and "By God"?:
"By God, what does she have that other women don't have?"
"By God, what does she have that other women don't have?"
Top answer
', referring to Christ's wounds on the Cross. It was shortened, in various ways (Another short form, archaic now, was towards the end of the phrase: 'Zounds'). Simply put, the idea is to add strength to what you say by invoking something everyone knows is important.
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Hi,
"By ***" The original expression was 'By ***'s wounds!', referring to Christ's wounds on the Cross. It was shortened, in various ways (Another short form, archaic now, was towards the end of the phrase: 'Zounds'). Simply put, the idea is to add strength to what you say by invoking something everyone knows is important.
'By ***' can show surprise,
"By ***" The original expression was 'By ***'s wounds!', referring to Christ's wounds on the Cross. It was shortened, in various ways (Another short form, archaic now, was towards the end of the phrase: 'Zounds'). Simply put, the idea is to add strength to what you say by invoking something everyone knows is important.
'By ***' can show surprise,
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Is it necessary to treat "by ***" as a short form of "by ***'s wounds", I wonder? Or might it have stood originally on its own?
Cf. French "pardieu" ("perdy"), Latin "per deos".
MrP
Cf. French "pardieu" ("perdy"), Latin "per deos".
MrP
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Hi MrP,
I suppose so, I don't know.
By ***'s blood ...******
By ***'s truth ... strewth
My instinct, such as it is, for the psychology of the times was that you'd be inclined to swear on some important part/aspect of ***, rather than on *** himself. It's like you'd swear 'on your mother's grave' rather t
I suppose so, I don't know.
By ***'s blood ...******
By ***'s truth ... strewth
My instinct, such as it is, for the psychology of the times was that you'd be inclined to swear on some important part/aspect of ***, rather than on *** himself. It's like you'd swear 'on your mother's grave' rather t
00
Hi again,
I remember now that I've always understood the derivation of '******' was from 'By our lady'. Anyway, my point was that I think good swearing was, and should be, creative and flamboyant. Modern 'cussing' lacks wit, to me. I think it was MacBeth who swore at an underling: 'The devil **** thee black, thou cream-faced loon'. Now that's swearing.
Clive
I remember now that I've always understood the derivation of '******' was from 'By our lady'. Anyway, my point was that I think good swearing was, and should be, creative and flamboyant. Modern 'cussing' lacks wit, to me. I think it was MacBeth who swore at an underling: 'The devil **** thee black, thou cream-faced loon'. Now that's swearing.
Clive
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Thanks very much for your replies. Is there somewhere I could check out the etymology of phrases or expressions like this, I wonder?
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Hi,
I'm sure there is. On the 'net, you could just google around.
Clive
...
I'm sure there is. On the 'net, you could just google around.
Clive
...
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