"I'm like a bad ___"

Pale Horse

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
The phrase literally means "Our mistakes return to haunt us; also, nasty people have a way of reappearing." as it is defined in The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, 3rd ed.

The expression was originally English and the unit of currency referred to was the shilling. Sir Walter Scott, in one of his early nineteenth-century novels, whereto: "Bring back Darsie? Little doubt of that. The bad shilling is sure enough to come back again."

There is some evidence that it has to do with whether or not a coin is counterfit.
 
S

schwammy

New member
I agree that it's a lame line. Maybe he could quote the David Byrne line from Rei Momo:

"I'm like a chcken without a head.
I'd like to fly but I walk instead."

Pale Horse, you sound like you own a copy of the Oxford English Dictionary.
 
I

Indy_Jones88

Guest
Indy's_main_man said:
"I'm like a bad Nazi...but Nazis are considered to be bad so technically i'd be a good nazi...but Like I said Nazis are bad...nazis are bad, right stephen? see YOU're a nazi and you've been trying to kill me...yes so i'd be a good nazi who turns bad. no wait a bad nazi who turns good...no wait..."
Click to expand...

LOL! oh my gosh that sounds like something Indy's dad would say.
 
Deadlock

Deadlock

New member
Pale Horse said:
The phrase literally means "Our mistakes return to haunt us; also, nasty people have a way of reappearing." as it is defined in The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, 3rd ed.

The expression was originally English and the unit of currency referred to was the shilling. Sir Walter Scott, in one of his early nineteenth-century novels, whereto: "Bring back Darsie? Little doubt of that. The bad shilling is sure enough to come back again."

There is some evidence that it has to do with whether or not a coin is counterfit.
Click to expand...

Thank you, Pale Ale! I knew that there had to be some sort quasi-substantial reference...
 
Pale Horse

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
quasi-substantial? You don't spend too much time in a library, do you. That's okay, I don't mind it you doubt me, it's bound to happen, but let me assure you, as an English Major, I know all about verifying me resources.


I love the new ones that question me, gives me hope for the New Generations. Go ahead deadlock and prove me wrong, and I will reward you, but in your endeavor, should you find I am right, I hope you will retract your tongue-in-cheek comment :)
 
Indyologist

Indyologist

Well-known member
The phrase literally means "Our mistakes return to haunt us; also, nasty people have a way of reappearing." as it is defined in The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, 3rd ed.

The expression was originally English and the unit of currency referred to was the shilling. Sir Walter Scott, in one of his early nineteenth-century novels, whereto: "Bring back Darsie? Little doubt of that. The bad shilling is sure enough to come back again."

There is some evidence that it has to do with whether or not a coin is counterfit.

Thank you, Horsey, for that bit of information we didn't really ask for. Ahem. Still, it was interesting.

Pale Horse said:
quasi-substantial? You don't spend too much time in a library, do you. That's okay, I don't mind it you doubt me, it's bound to happen, but let me assure you, as an English Major, I know all about verifying me resources.
Click to expand...

Hey, I'm an English major too? Doesn't working at McDonald's suck? ( ;) )

Seriously, though, I love the English language.
 
Pale Horse

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
Fortunately I was able to stem that route into other avenues that helped support me when my writing couldn't. But now I am at a local University and all is well. Perhaps in the near future there will be a post detailing the "Migration of a Pale Horse" for all to swoon over.
 
Deadlock

Deadlock

New member
Pale Horse said:
quasi-substantial? You don't spend too much time in a library, do you. That's okay, I don't mind it you doubt me, it's bound to happen, but let me assure you, as an English Major, I know all about verifying me resources.


I love the new ones that question me, gives me hope for the New Generations. Go ahead deadlock and prove me wrong, and I will reward you, but in your endeavor, should you find I am right, I hope you will retract your tongue-in-cheek comment :)
Click to expand...

Yes, yes, according to Google, you are quite correct.

Adj. 1. quasi - having some resemblance; "a quasi success"

However, what I meant by "quasi-substantial reference" was not that your research was in any way faulty. I merely meant that the use of this phrase had a reference that was too obscure to be immediately recognized by most people. The phrase has an origin; it wasn't invented for Indiana Jones (unlike something like "I'm like a root vegetable, I always turnip." :) ) Nonetheless, most people know nothing of the origins of the phrase. If they did, then I could have termed it a "substantial reference." Example of a substantial reference "Hasta la vista, baby". Our vernacular is littered with phrases with "quasi-substantial references" like "the whole nine yards" etc.

And so with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek, I still say I meant no offense to your English Majorness or research prowess.

(BTW, next time I'll be knocking ten point off your post for not capitalizing "Deadlock". It's a proper noun. :p )
 
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Pale Horse

Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
I can't believe you posted those cartoons. ;)


(good enough?)


EDIT: note the nature of the Iambic Pentameter above.
 
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westford

westford

Member
Hehe, I love Drew! (the guy who does the cartoons)

Anyway, I thought of another one:

"I'm like a bad curry - you can't keep me down..."

(PS - 1930s pennies were bigger)
 
whipem

whipem

Member
Re: Gumpism

IndyBlues said:
"I'm like a box of chocolates,...you never know what you're gonna get"
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Or, "I'm like a bag full of bugs...you never know what's gonna jump out at you."
You have to watch "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" to get this one.
 
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