Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Idioms 243. The idiom today is to scratch ones back.
Okay. Let's take a look at the note here. If someone scratches someone else's
back, he or she will do a favor for someone, usually in expectation for a
favor in return. So you do something for me, I do something for you. When it is
used in this sense, we often hear people say if you scratch my back I'll
scratch yours. Okay, good. now of course, scratch one's back could
also have the literal meaning. Like you could ask someone to scratch your back
like if there was an area and your back that you couldn't reach, you could
literally ask someone to scratch your back. But that does not mean that you
have a ... you need a favor to be returned for that. But in this one it does. So
let's continue. The origin of the phrase goes back to the 1600s when crew members
were given lashes as a punishment. Yeah. This is probably on a ship or a boat. If
you ever seen any of those old movies, where the captain wants one of
the crew members punished. You know give him ten lashes. So, so it goes back to
this, this time. Some crew members made deals with others to only give light
lashes. So not too harsh. Not a real strong whip. But maybe I don't know maybe
they just pretended and gave a much lighter lash. Which in effect was more
like scratching. So that's where it supposedly had come from. Then of course the
favor would be returned if the other person was doing the whipping and the
situation was reversed. So if you're lucky enough or if you make deals with
enough of the crew members, maybe if that one is chosen to whip you, you whip them.
You both agreed to give you two the light lashes. So the punishment is not as
harsh. Okay. Good and we have a one example here for this type. That company
offered large political campaign donations to that politician.
However, they expected him to vote in the company's favor in case legislation came
up that would affect them. That would affect their company. Maybe they knew
something was coming up. So they were giving this purposely to try to you know,
get this guy's vote and indirect bribe really. This is a case of if you scratch
my back, I'll scratch yours. Okay. Good. Anyway, I hope it's clear. I hope you
got it. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.