I took a look at animal intelligence yesterday. In it, I mentioned the literal size of a bird brain. But. To call someone a “bird brain” is a figurative way of saying that they are not very intelligent or, perhaps, they have a lack of common sense. It implies that the person’s mental capacity is comparable to that of a bird. And that, of course, is often associated with being small-brained. Not very intelligent. Of course, we know that is a misnomer.
We, humans, use phrases or idioms quite often when we speak. Most of the time, we don’t even realize we are doing this. It is a form of expressiveness, I suppose. Idioms can make conversations more interesting. Or more colorful.
Like. “Bite the bullet.” We could say something like, “Well, Bob had to face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and determination.” Orrrrr…. it might sound better when we say, “Old Bob sure had to bite the bullet with that one.”
Idioms are all over the place. I mean, take this blog. Today, I just sprung all this on you unexpectedly or without any warning. “Out of the blue.”
Maybe if I gave people a greater indication of where this blog is actually headed, its ratings would soar. Yeah. Right. “That will happen when pigs fly.”
Phrases. They surround us everywhere we go. And in all the things we do. What kinds of things do we do?
We might…
“Hit the nail on the head.”
“Let the cat out of the bag.”
“Kill two birds with one stone.”
“Bark up the wrong tree.”
“Put our eggs all in one basket.”
“Spill the beans.” Or.
“Cry over spilled milk.”
Oh. You have to love them. Instead of saying things like they are, we give them a twist. You are probably thinking, “When will this blog ever end?” Time seems to pass more slowly when you’re waiting for something to happen, such as the end of a boring performance or blog. “A watched pot never boils.”
Okay, then. I’ll stop. But two more phrases before I go. Two of my favorites.
The first is “A piece of cake,” meaning something that is very easy to do or accomplish. I like this one because it sounds like my initials. PCK. Piece of Cake. And that has been my internal motto in life whenever there is a task at hand. “It’s a piece of cake.”
And the other best one?
“You can’t judge a book by its cover.” It speaks for itself. But it should speak TO all of us. It means that we shouldn’t judge someone or something based solely on appearance. And if everyone would stamp this phrase in their brains, the world would be a better place.
Because there is a whole lot of judging going on every day, based on someone’s skin, gender, and life orientation.
So. It is fitting that I leave you with this. As I do every day.
“A penny for your thoughts?”
“”””””””””””””””””””
“Wisdom is the daughter of experience.”
– Leonardo da Vinci
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“The greatest wisdom is in simplicity.”
– Isaac Newton
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“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
– Aristotle
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What you say? What say you?
