I Didn't Know That: From "Ants in the Pants" to "Wet Behind the Ears" the Unusual Origins of the Things We Say [Audio CD]

Karlen Evins (Author, Narrator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0963547429 | ISBN-13: 978-0963547422 | Publication Date: December 2007

Every common expression has a history, and it's often not what one would expect. I Didn't Know That offers a lighthearted yet enlightening look at the unusual origins of hundreds of words and sayings that pepper our language. From "ants in the pants" (a questionable old English home remedy) to the "whole nine yards" (which has nothing to do with lengths of fabric), here are the surprising and often amusing stories behind the phrases we use every day. Karlen Evins fills in the background of these words and phrases and many more in fun, fascinating stories. If you've ever caught yourself wondering just how we came to say such curious things as "dressed to the nines" and "nincompoop," this clever little book will have you smiling and saying, "I Didn't Know That!"

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This handy reference provides history for a slew of terms and turns of phrases Americans use nearly every day. A Tennessee radio producer and on-air personality, Evins has been "collecting words, phrases, and expressions" for decades, and even self-published a version of this book nearly 15 years ago. Here, she expands on her original, starting at "A-1" ("More than a steak sauce...it was the highest rating that could be given a ship insured by Lloyd's of London") and ending with "zipper" ("trademarked by B.F. Goodrich in 1925...for a new line of waterproof overshoes"). Among others, Evins covers "peanut gallery," which originally referred "to the cheap seats...in the theaters of the Gay Nineties"; "fighting fire with fire," to try containing one prairie blaze by setting another; and "mind your p's and q's," dating back either to British pubs serving both pints and quarts, or to the early days of printing, when typesetters occasionally confused the two letters. In clear, brief and tidy prose, Evins provides interesting, occasionally fascinating tidbits for one English idiom after another, making this a small treasure trove for word-junkies, crossword puzzlers and other armchair linguists.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"O.K. No BEATING AROUND THE BUSH. Let's TALK TURKEY about this little book. I don't think I'm LETTING THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG when I describe it as concise, informative, and entertaining. GREAT SCOTT! This cheery volume can be read in TWO SHAKES OF A LAMB'S TAIL and will leave you HAPPY AS A CLAM." -- H. Jackson Brown, Jr., author of Life's Little Instruction Book --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: K. Rose Publishing (December 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963547429
• ISBN-13: 978-0963547422
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,662,888 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting..., December 31, 2008

By 

C. Barnard (Frankfort, KY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Didn't Know That: From "Ants in the Pants" to "Wet Behind the Ears"--the Unusual Origins of the Things We Say (Paperback)

I purchased this as a gift for my sister and she says it was a huge hit christmas day and passed around the whole family. She is always calling my husband to ask...'where did this saying come from', so this was a perfect for her.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dressed to the Nines, February 18, 2008

By 

Arturo "C-note" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Didn't Know That: From "Ants in the Pants" to "Wet Behind the Ears"--the Unusual Origins of the Things We Say (Paperback)

I thought this was a worthy companion to some of my other books on pop culture and aphorisms. It is a little short but contains a lot of well known and popular catchphrases. This book will give you plenty of "a-ha" moments. Well researched and clearly written. Buy this book. You won't be disappointed.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun book!, October 24, 2008

By 

D. Ferguson "christian book reader" (tennessee) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Didn't Know That: From "Ants in the Pants" to "Wet Behind the Ears"--the Unusual Origins of the Things We Say (Paperback)

"I didn't Know that" is a fun book - easy to read. It's great for keeping in those places where you occasionally have an opportunity to sit down and relax. It would make a good gift for anybody! It's interesting to see where some of our common expressions and words come from - expressions like talk turkey or letting the cat out of the bag or happy as a clam. This is fun information that can enlighten you and give you interesting tidbits to interject into everyday conversation!