Re: Quack
Woof
Posted by TheFallen on October 30, 2002 In Reply to: Re: Quack posted by R. Berg
on October 30, 2002
: : : : : : : : : As some of you will know,
I have a site where I've posted origins of as many phrases as I can find. I get
regular questions from around the world, plus suggestions about origins - I've
posted some of these recently. I thought you would all be interested in the following
message that came today.
: : : : : : : : : "I came across your site while looking
up an expression that I heard this weekend at Churchill Downs in Louisville, USA.
On a behind-the-scenes tour of the track, our guide pointed out a goat tied to
a stable door next to a thoroughbred. She explained the goat was present as a
companion to an otherwise anxious horse visiting a new stable. She said the expression
"to get one's goat" derived from the dastardly practice of a rival trainer stealing
the opposing horse's goat and unnerving him before the big race. ....I thought
it was bunk, but decided to research it when I got home.
: : : : : : : : :
: : : : : : : : : We only saw one goat out of a couple dozen stalls, but she
seemed to think it was not uncommon. Maybe there's something to it?....though
it may well be predated by (your suggestion of) the rival farmer's milk cow production.
Just thought you'd like to know. Thanks for an interesting site."
: : : : :
: : : Wasn't there a sheep in a similar role on the Sopranos a few weeks back?
: : : : : : : That explanation of "get your goat" has turned up here before
and been discounted. See http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/3/messages/432.html
(link below).
: : : : : : I guess that you think the 'offering' from the race
track is a wind up! I'm not so certain. I can see no good reason wht the fellow
should target 'little ol me' with spam. I prefer to believe that he saw what he
said he saw. Too trustworthy you say. Well maybe, but I always believe my patients/clients!
:
: : : : I don't doubt that he saw a goat in the stable or that the tour guide
gave the reported explanation of "get your goat." What I doubt is that the guide
was necessarily correct about the origin of the phrase.
: : : : : Yesterday
I had visited some goats, and the ones who said anything at all were saying "Baaaah!"
: : : : Is this another example of US/UK differentiation? Our Brit goats say
"maaaaah", and only our sheep say "baaaah".
: : :
: : : In Korea, dogs "quack".
The Korean equivalent of wolf whistling is also quacking loudly and appreciatively.
:
: This presumably is an evolutionary skill. Maybe the dogs have learnt that, if
they quack, they may be mistaken for ducks, and therefore are less likely to end
up as someone's Sunday roast.
: I don't think so. Korean cuisine includes dog.
Err yes... hence the canine attempt at camouflage. In a bitter piece of cosmic
and tragic irony though, I'll bet the Koreans are equally as happy to eat duck.
Or maybe they only eat dogs because they think they're ducks, due to the quacking.
Oh never mind.
- Re: Quack Woof R. Berg 10/30/02
(1)
- Re:
Quack Woof James Briggs 10/30/02 (0)
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