As I was growing up, my family had a couple of sayings I took for granted were universal, at least within my language. As I became an adult I have learned that these are not universal at all:
- the ketchup effect. It is an expression meaning that when things arrive, they all arrive at the same time. Think of an old school glass ketchup bottle. When you hit the bottom of it, first there is nothing, then there is nothing and then the entire content is on your food.
- faster than Jesus slid down the mount of olives. Basically a saying that implies that the mount of olives is slippery due to olive oil and Jesus slipped.
- What you lack in memory, your legs suffer. An expression meaning that when you are forgetful, you usually need to run back and thus your legs suffer.
Please share your own weird family sayings.
My mom often used two:
“Useless as tits on a bull” (often referencing her husband, my dad)
And also, “shit fire and save matches”, which I never understood to actually have a meaning, it was more like just an exclamation of surprise.
the former is a common, universal phrase.
“like tits on a bull” as a slightly shorter version.
to be fair if you could shit fire that you would save a lot of matches.
My dad used the shit fire expression. I also don’t know of an actual meaning.
If a frog had wings it wouldn’t bump it’s ass when it jumped.
I’ve heard these used when someone says something nonsensical, just as a completely worthless reply.
Worst case Ontario!