Ifs

Posted by ESC on July 28, 2006

In Reply to: If if's and buts were candy and nuts........ posted by RRC on July 28, 2006

: : : if's and buts where apples and nuts........

: : : can you finish the phrase and do you know it's origins and purpose

: "If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts, wouldn't it be a Merry Christmas?" seems to be attributed to Don Meredith (the American football player/commentator). To rephrase it: if all these reasons why we can't do something were party foods instead of words, we could have a really great party.

: It would seem to be patterned after "If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride" and "If I had a 'coin' for every 'something', I'd have 'a lot of money'" (insert your favorite coin, something and amount of money).

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride
If turnips were swords, I'd wear one by my side
If ifs and ands were pots and pans,
there'd be no need for tinkers' hands.

(In the archives it says the above is a "Scottish proverb." If wishes were horses, beggars would ride -- If wishing could make things happen, then even the most destitute people would have everything they wanted. www.bartleby.com/ 59/3/ifwisheswere.html Accessed July 28, 2006. )

If ifs and ands were pots and pans
We'd be washing up forever.

(May 13, 2005, poster said his mother said this. www.phrases.org.uk bulletin_board 41 messages 627.html )

If frogs had wings, and snakes had hair,
And automobiles flew through the air,
If a watermelon grew on a huckleberry vine,
Then we'd have winter in the summertime.

If a hog had wings he'd be an eagle.
If a pig had wings, he'd be a chicken hawk.

(From This Dog'll Really Hunt: An Entertaining Texas Dictionary by Wallace O. Chariton, Wordware Publishing, Piano, Texas, 1989, 1990)

If wishes were horses,
Beggars would ride;
If wishes were fishes,
We'd all have some fried.
...or alternately, "We'd all cast our lines")

(From the archives)