Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

This is one gem of my mother’s that I still share today.  Usually, it’s in my role as a teacher.  

I just googled the phrase, assuming I would easily find its origins.  My mom was born in Pittsburgh, and is of German and Irish descent, so that’s the direction I expected to go.  There was one little voice in my head that said, “This could be something unique to Mom.”  (BTW: Mom is 87 and still living with Dad in the same Chula Vista home I grew up in since 1962.)

 

To my surprise, this was not a one-click research project. Since it doesn’t show up as a well-known phrase, a few clicks later I’ve decided to turn my quest over to you.