Showing Up with Arms Swinging

You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it. I’m Grant Barrett.

And I’m Martha Barnette. And I want to share a phrase that was new to me when I heard it this week.

Do you know what it means if somebody shows up with their arms swinging?

It means they didn’t bring anything to the house.

That’s it!

They brought no food, no drinks, nothing but themselves, and probably an empty stomach.

Exactly. You know, a mother might say to her adult child, don’t show up with your arms swinging.

And it doesn’t mean, you know, don’t come prepared for a fight, which is what I thought it would mean.

Yeah, you’re supposed to come with your arms crooked.

That’s right.

Your arms bent.

Carrying something.

Yeah.

And there are several phrases like that, like don’t be standing there with your two arms at the same length,

or don’t go visiting with one arm as long as the other.

And another one that you and I have talked about before, Grant, ring the door with your elbow.

There we go.

Yep, yep.

Supposed to have drinks and a couple of side dishes.

And maybe a watermelon in a cooler on ice, something like that.

Yeah.

Well, we know you’ve got those homespun phrases and those little things that you like to say.

And sometimes they’re so common in your family, you forget that everyone doesn’t say them.

Well, pluck those out of your day-to-day speech and share them with us.

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