Origin of words – where did that come from?

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step – just one among a myriad of quotes and sayings that have gone through many distortions in the wringers of mistranslations (Chinese whispers). While I might be exaggerating the extent to which the original meanings of these words have changed, out of curiosity, I made an effort to curate a list of my favorite quotes to find out about their original meanings and etymology.

Mr. Jack

A quote usually used to mock an average Joe, “Jack of all trades master of none” is one of those quotes whose meaning has been transformed in the present day. This quote is actually a playful snide at the specialized man (in terms of work); “a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one” – William Shakespeare. This quote stays very close to my heart, especially in times of frustration whenever I’m learning a new skill. It is worthwhile to be multi-talented, how else can you live life to the fullest if not by being the most you can be. Pick up a guitar, learn that programming language, learn to play chess, or how to fix a car; as Ben Carson said: no knowledge is ever wasted.

Stitches

This is an example of a quote that has managed to retain its original meaning, perhaps because it has few words. “a stitch in time saves nine stitches”, goes to say that mending a tear right away would only require one stitch but if it gets worsened you might need up to 10 stitches (prevention is better than cure). This quote was first recorded in Thomas Fuller’s work in 1732. Since I’m a little lazy can I save 5 stitches instead of 9 Mr. Fuller?

Blood Brothers

What is mostly used to perpetrate favoritism (nepotism) towards family members over non-relatives and acquaintances, blood is thicker than water actually is: “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb”; meaning the bonds you have created or chosen can be more important than the bonds with people with whom you are bound to by the water of the womb. This phrase is probably a victim of simplicity, to make the quote shorter, the meaning was lost. Is womb water thick?

Wake Up

Don’t sleep, wake up, collect your money, snooze you lose, and many other ways in which they say the early bird gets the worm; this quote is often used to encourage people to be early and get to things first. However, the full quote: “the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese” means that it is okay not to be the first, While I don’t know about the history of this bird and the mouse, it is too late to ask William Camden, 1605.

Nine Lives

A quote used to discourage many curious minds whenever they tried venturing into the unknown, “Curiosity Killed the Cat” leaves out the most important part of the cat’s story. Satisfaction brought it back! “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.” It is okay to be inquisitive and experiment with different ideas. How else can we follow the light of knowledge if not by asking why?