Monthly Archives: January 2012

Pie in the sky

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Today’s phrase is pie in the sky.

Explanation: If something is pie in the sky, it is either a prospect of future hapiness that is unlikely to be realized, or a plan or idea that seems good, but is not likely to be achieved.

Example:  Jonas was enthusiastic about his pitch to save the company, but realized it was full of pie in the sky ideas that were not very realistic.
 
Origin: Pie in the sky is an American phrase coined by Joe Hill in 1911. He includes the phrase pie in the sky in  a song he wrote called The Preacher and the Slave, which parodied the Salvation Army hymn In the Sweet Bye and Bye.   Here is the verse it is from:
 
You will eat, bye and bye,
In that glorious land above the sky;
Work and pray, live on hay,
You’ll get pie in the sky when you die.

Barn burner

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Today’s phrase is barn burner.  I can honestly say I’d never heard the expression barn burner before today. Someone used it on a call, and of course I wanted to know what it meant!

Explanation: A barn burner is something that arouses much excitement or interest.

Example:  The Superbowl is always a barn burner – it’s always sold out, and millions of people tune it to watch it.

Origin: The Barnburners were a radical faction of the New York state Democratic party in the mid-19th century.  It is thought to been derived from the notion that someone would burn down their barn (i.e. take drastic action) just to get rid of a rat infestation. And the “Barnburner” faction would take equally drastic action - destroy all banks and corporations, to root out their abuses.  To learn more, check out this article on Barnburners.

Politics – they’re never boring!

Draconian

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I’ve been hearing this word a lot lately in association with SOPA / PIPA. Not familiar with them? After all the Web site blackouts, I’d imagine you’d have heard about them, but if you’re looking for details, here’s a good place to start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOPA

Draconian is an adjective that means great severity.  It is derived from a man name Draco. Not the guy in Harry Potter. Draco was the first legislator of Athens, and tended towards the heavy handed side when it came to punishment, regardless of the offense committed.

There are several races/species called Draconian in Sci-Fi and Fantasy books/shows, and also a Death/Doom metal band from Sweden.

Shirttail relative

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Today’s phrase is shirttail relative. I read it in a book, and decided to look it up.

Explanation: A shirttail relative is someone who is either a relative by marriage, distantly related (say, a third cousin), or a family friend who is an honourary “relative”.

Example: June invited everyone to the wedding – even the cousins of her aunts and uncles. She wanted to invite everyone to wedding, including her shirttail relatives.

Origin: This seems to have been around since the 1920s, and is mentioned in the the Dictionary of American Regional English as of 1927. It may have originated in the American south.

Straw dog

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Today’s phrase is straw dog.

Explanation: A straw dog is a ceremonial prop of no inherent value or a metaphor for something worthless.

Example: Junie thought the ring Jack had given her was valuable and made of real diamonds, but it only contained a a cheap, polished stone. It was a straw dog, meant to keep her happy.

Origin: Dogs made out of straw were used during ancient Chinese ceremonies. They were treated with great reverence during the ceremony, but promptly discarded afterwards.