phrases, sayings, proverbs and idioms at
Home button Home | Search the phrases.org.uk website Search | Phrase Dictionary | Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer

The meaning and origin of the expression: Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer

Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer

Other phrases about:

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer'?

Literal meaning.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer'?

This sounds like a fairly recently coined proverb and, in it's precise wording, it is. Nevertheless, a medieval version with almost exactly the same sentiment written in Middle English pre-dates the modern version by a good 500 years. William Caxton expressed the notion in his retelling of Aesop's Fables, 1484:

For to a folysshe demaunde behoueth a folysshe ansuere.

The modern translation had to wait until the 20th century, as in this example from the Minnesota newspaper The Brainerd Daily Dispatch, Tuesday, April, 1945:

If you want to ask a silly question and get a silly answer, just ask Mona Roth whom she refers to as El Dorado.

See more 'Silly' phrases.

See also: the List of Proverbs.

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Browse phrases beginning with:
 
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T UV W XYZ Full List