MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why “The Proof Is In The Pudding”
You could definitely ask your buddy whether The Godfather Part II is as good as everyone says it is, but you’ll never know for sure unless you sit through all four hours of it & see it for yourself. After all, the best way to determine the something’s value is to experience it firsthand, right? “The proof is in the pudding”, as they say. But what does that even mean? Why did they put proof in pudding to begin with?
As with a lot of these kinds of sayings, this particular idiom was pretty literal in its beginnings. The earliest known written reference comes from a 1623 volume of the tome “Remains Concerning Britain” by English writer William Camden. Back then, pudding wasn’t the gooey dessert we Americans eat now, it was instead a mishmash of minced meat, spices, cereal…sometimes even blood. Everything got stuffed into an animal casing like a sausage, then it was steamed or boiled. And, because preservative methods weren’t all that great or thorough, and because the FDA didn’t exist back then, there was always a real good chance that your meat dish could make you sick, or possibly even kill you. So, unfortunately, the only way to really find out…was to dig in.
It’s not so much about the proof being in the pudding, but more about eating the pudding to find the proof. Which brings up my next point: “The proof is in the pudding” is actually an abbreviated version of the full phrase, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” It isn’t really surprising that, over the past several centuries, people have shortened the phrase, since the way we talk regularly evolves in ways that affect our understanding of the phrases. For instance, “one bad apple” is actually “one bad apple spoils the whole bunch” (even though some folks use the shorter version to mean the exact opposite of the original phrase).
No one knows precisely when “the proof is in the pudding” became the preferred semantics over its wordier (though clearer) ancestor. However, it’s been in our vernacular since at least the 1860s. Engineer Henry Dircks used it in his 1863 novel Joseph Anstey, before it showed up again in an 1867 issue of The Farmer’s Magazine. So, considering it’s roughly 160 years old, you should be able to use the shorter version freely without a fear of being corrected. 160-year-old pudding, though…I wouldn’t recommended trying to find the proof in that. Not anymore.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
Wake Up Crew Highlights: October 26, 2021
Introducing Odin-Our Jay Day and The Day Home Team Pet of the Week
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: “For Pete’s Sake!”
Whenever you hear an old saying, like “letting the cat out of the bag”, does it ever make you think “for Pete’s sake, what does it mean”? But then you think, “why did I just say that? What does ‘for Pete’s sake’ even mean?” Who’s this Pete character, and why should I care about his sake?
“For Pete’s sake” is an idiom where the name Pete is essentially used as a mild substitute for God or Christ in an expression of annoyance or frustration. Much like the less common “for the love of Mike”, the switch to Pete makes the term more socially acceptable & less offensive. There’s actually even a name for this type of phrase, “minced oath”, which is a British euphemism used to avoid swearing when expressing surprise or annoyance.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, people started saying “for Pete’s sake” as early as 1903. But there’s no definitive reason why folks began using Pete instead or some other name, like Frank, Earl, or any other name. One theory, though, is that, at some point, someone simply replaced Jesus or God with another religious figure…St. Peter. (ANDY NOTE: Seems plausible.)
Now that you know a bit more about why we say, “for Pete’s sake,” you’ll be ready to celebrate on February 26th, which is “For Pete’s Sake Day”. Yes, it IS a real thing! I wouldn’t make something like that up, for Pete’s sake!
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
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Wake Up Crew Highlights: October 25, 2021
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do We Call It A “Honeymoon”?
A honeymoon is the best part of any wedding. Heck, it’s the best part of any marriage. But where did the term “honeymoon” first come from?
The word comes from the Old English “hony moone.” Honey refers to the “indefinite period of tenderness & pleasure experienced by a newly-wed couple,” and how sweet the new marriage is. Meanwhile, the “moon” part refers to the fleeting amount of time that that sweetness is likely to last. Honeymoon may have a positive connotation today, but it was actually originally used as a way of warning newlyweds about waning love.
“Honeymoon” has origins that date back to the 5th century AD, back when cultures designated calendar time by moon cycles. Back in those days, a newlywed couple would drink mead (a honey-based fermented drink thought to hold aphrodisiac qualities) during their first moon of marriage.
And while most couples today getaway on their honeymoon so they can be alone together, it wasn’t always that way. 19th century British couples actually took the opportunity of their honeymoon to go on what was called a “bridal tour”, where they would travel to visit friends & family who hadn’t been able to attend the wedding ceremony. Anybody up for reviving that tradition? No?
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].
