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Get to the Point! Where Did That Come From?

Ever wonder about the origins of certain phrases and clichés? We say or write these words and know what they mean but not where they came from. I usually encourage technical writers to avoid using these phrases because when we work in a global environment, where some of our audience may be working in a second language, the meaning may be lost in the translation.

I recently rediscovered a book in my library that explains how these phrases came about. Let me share some of my favorites:

In a Nutshell: We use this to mean we are summing something up in a few words. Thousands of years ago important documents were carried around in walnut shells which would then be bound and kept waterproof. The idea of having something “in a nutshell” means a shortened version that still covers every main point. Sounds like what we use the Executive Summary for these days.

Eavesdroppers: These are people who deliberately try to overhear what others are saying. Centuries ago, in England, the houses had no gutters or drains but rather the roof extended far beyond the walls. The rain would drip off the roof. The area between the dripping rain and the wall was called the “eavesdrip” or “eavesdrop”. This area also served as a shelter for people to stand out of the rain. They could hear what was being said inside the house and thus became known as “eavesdroppers”.

Off the Cuff: This is when someone speaks without using notes or with little preparations. In Victorian times, men wore shirts with stiff, detachable collars and cuffs. To create the impression that they were speaking from the heart, politicians wanted to be able to address an audience without a visible script or notes. To aid their memory, they would write keywords on their shirt cuffs. This allowed them to appear very prepared and more articulate, when they were speaking “off the cuff”.

To Bank on Someone: We use this to refer to someone we rely upon or completely trust. Before modern banks, people kept their wealth either on them or in a hidden away safe place. In medieval Venice, men would set up benches in the main squares and would trade world currencies that passed through the city. These men were universally trusted and relied upon. The system was an early form of world banking and the Venetians were regarded as people who could be “banked upon”. The Italian word for bench is “banco”.

To Bite Off More Than You Can Chew: This refers to someone who has taken on more than they can manage. This phrase is traceable back to the 1800s and the popular habit of chewing tobacco. At that time, tobacco was produced is lengths and similar to offering someone a cigarette from a pack, men would offer others a “bite” of tobacco. The greedy would take such a large bite that they were unable to chew it properly, and then keep some for later. Hence, out of annoyance came the admonition “don’t bite off more than you can chew”.

At the Drop of a Hat: We use this phrase to indicate

something will be done immediately. This comes from the 19 th Century when sporting referees would raise their hat in the air to alert competitors to get ready. They would then drop the hat to signal the start of the event. This tradition

was common in boxing and horseracing, which were said to begin at the drop of the hat.

Across the Board: This means to include everyone or everything, all encompassing. This too, comes from 19 th Century horseracing. Large boards would be used to display the odds on a horse placing first, second or third in a race. One strategy was to bet an even amount of money on one horse to finish first, second or third. This was known as n “across the board bet”.

A Deadline: We know this term all to well. It is the final date or time that a task is due. I’ve found two origins for this. Originally it was used in a prisoner of war camp during the American Civil War. Rather than wire and fencing, a certain camp simply painted a white line around the perimeter. Any prisoner crossing the line was shot dead, hence the term “deadline”. We don’t like to associate that with our business deadlines. However, newspaper writers have long had a limited period of time to submit an article before the copy went to print. If they missed the timing, their story was considered old or dead by the following day’s print run. This makes the term fairly literal: dead line.

get to the point

© 2019, RGI Learning Lisa Moretto is the President of RGI Learning, Inc. For 24 years she has helped engineers improve their oral and written communication skills. Visit www.rgilearning.com or call (866) 744-3032 to learn about RGI’s courses.

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