No, this is not going to be a lecture about diagramming sentences. This is simply for those of us who get excited about the evolution of language. Trust me, I’m as tired of “good versus well” as you are. Let’s leave the tired old grammar adages behind for a moment and actually learn something new.
There are phrases in the English language that have come to mean something that they didn’t originally mean and, to me, that evolution of language through history is wildly fascinating (and, frankly, more pertinent to my understanding of life than some arbitrary rules that I learned out of context).
Below are a few fun facts about the English language that might actually wake you up and re-engage your imagination and love of language after you’ve been beaten over the head with an MLA handbook.
“Hone in on”
The word “hone” means to sharpen, refine, or perfect. You may have heard the phrase: “honed his/her skill.” This makes sense because you can sharpen or refine a skill. When someone says “to hone in on the reason,” they probably actually mean “home” in on. “To home in on” is a term used in missile warfare, meaning to aim for. The two words likely got swapped due to their similarity in sound.
“A moot point”
The story behind this phrase is amazing to me. This phrase has come to mean the exact opposite of what it once meant. Something that is “moot” is something that remains open to discussion, is debatable, or has not been decided on. Yet, so many people use the phrase “It’s a moot point” to say that the subject is closed for discussion! However, one can see how it might have happened. You might end an argument by agreeing to disagree or you might end an argument by completely shutting it down, but, either way, the word “moot” has the power to end the conflict.
“Six of one, half-dozen of another”
This phrase actually began as: “Six to one, half-dozen to another.” It means that one person might see the number as six and another person might see it as a half-dozen, but they’re really seeing the same thing. “Six of one, half-dozen of another,” really just means 12!
“Terrific”
You might have picked up on the fact that the root of this word is “terror.” The word means something that inspires terror and it is often used to describe something large or incredible. From “large” and “incredible,” “terrific” jumped to the positive side of the spectrum. It has come to mean something similar to “great” or “awesome,” words that, ironically, also came to have good connotations through their association with things that are big or grand.
“Jive with”
“Jive with” makes a lot of sense, right? To "jive" is like to dance or groove, but, unless you’re talking about a disco, the word "jibe," meaning to agree, will probably suit you better.
“Case and Point”
It's funny how articles can mess with meaning so much. The article “and” renders this phrase nonsensical. The real phrase is “case in point.” It derives from the courtroom and it means that the whole case can be solved or wrapped up using one point of evidence.
“One in the same”
All right, stop confusing us. The last one said the “and” should be an “in.” Now, you’re telling me that the “in” should be an “and?” That’s right, “one and the same” makes a lot more grammatical sense than “one in the same.” “One in the same” implies that two objects fall in one category, while “one and the same” states that they are, in fact, exactly equivalent.
