Frog in my throat

Posted by Pamela on May 18, 2006

In Reply to: Frog in my throat posted by RRC on May 16, 2006

: : : : throat full of frogs

: : : I have heard: "I have a frog in my throat." Said by a person who is hoarse or needs to clear his throat.

: : To have a frog in the throat describes a choking sensation in the throat.
: : Here's a suggested origin:
: : In the past in was feared that a frog was really present when this sensation occurred. In olden times people often drank from ponds and streams; there was always the possibility of swallowing a whole animal or, worse, its eggs. If the eggs were taken in, then they were said to hatch inside and, when ready to come out, would cause a choking feeling.
: : However, 'our' archives say that it comes from OE 'frogga', meaning 'hoarseness'. Personally, the expression for me is one of choking, not hoarseness: thus I'm not convinced by the 'frogga' origin.

: If you swallowed a flower arrangement, you could have a florist's frog in your throat. Quite painful with all those little spikes!!!

I've only heard it used to refer to hoarseness. I assumed that if you have phlegm in your throat and speak, your voice croaks like a frog and hence the expression. I live and learn. Pamela