this episode of life noggin is brought
to you by aj+ hey there welcome to life
noggin
you know everyone likes to tell me that
I'm gonna chip off the old block we use
expressions like these in our everyday
lives without even realizing it
sometimes but what do they even mean
where do they come from well you're
about to find out I bet you didn't know
that a bird in the hand is worth two in
the bush
crazy right but really though what the
heck does that even mean this expression
actually goes back to medieval falconry
where a bird a falcon in the hand being
held by a person was considered valuable
as heck and worth more than two in the
bush today when people are using this
expression they're saying that it's
better to have a small but real
advantage than a slight possibility of a
greater one there might be two Falcons
in that bush but there is one awesome
one on my hand right now the other day
somebody told me they heard my deepest
darkest secret through the grapevine
well I never did that one thing in Vegas
and you definitely can't prove it but
more importantly how does this whole
grapevine thing work generally hearing
something through the grapevine means
that some sort of rumor or news has been
gossiped about this expression actually
dates back to 1859 a telegraph line was
set up between Placerville and Virginia
City by Colonel bee and the wires hung
like grapevines from trees all this talk
of grapes has got me thinking about food
putting to be more specific I'm sure
you've heard that the proof is in the
pudding right this expression is
actually a shortened version of the
original phrase the proof of the pudding
is in the eating the meaning behind this
expression is that to experience
something to the fullest you need to try
it out yourself like pudding try it
you'll like it unless you're allergic
somehow giving someone the cold shoulder
this does not mean that you're putting
an ice cube on their shoulder contrary
to popular belief this expression
originated during the Middle Ages in
Europe this one actually had more than
one meaning to begin with it referred to
any guests who had stayed longer than
welcome these people were served cold
the beef shoulder until the guests
finally got the hint the second use of
this phrase referred to leftover mutton
which was saved only to give to the poor
as to discourage them from begging
either way that's awful don't give
someone the cold shoulder speaking of
animal products have you ever heard of
quitting something in cold turkey
meaning all at once this term is in
reference to the physical state that
addicts fall into when withdrawing from
a drug addiction their skin turns white
and bumpy similar to that of an uncooked
turkey going Dutch this is a nice way to
evenly split the cost of something as a
group or when you're on a date in the
17th century the British hated the Dutch
is their commercial rivals they would
constantly fight over trade routes and
pollute
boundaries anyone who went dutch would
be considered a cheapskate are all of
these expressions a little too much to
learn at once do you want me to put a
sock in it while I'll be quiet but first
a quick explanation back in the day
grandma phones didn't have any volume
control knobs so to turn the volume down
you have to put a sock in the
amplification trumpet I don't own any
socks so I'm just gonna enjoy this
old-school gramophone and all of its
loud glory it's amazing how little we
know about the phrases that we use in
everyday life there are a ton of more
phrases that we can cover so if you
liked this episode let us know and we'll
do more you want to know what's your
favorite expression and what's one that
you find absolutely ridiculous leave
your answers in the comment section
below or tell us what should we talk
about next make sure you come back every
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I'm black oh this has been life noggin
don't forget to keep on thinking