talk out (the side of) one’s neck v. phr. to give an uninformed opinion; to fabulate; to talk unwisely or unguardedly; to blow smoke (out one’s ass). Also talk through (the side of) one’s neck. Editorial Note: The claim in the second 1994 citation that the expression also exists in Dutch has not been substantiated. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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Grant- Jackpot on the Dutch thing, I think. I don’t know Dutch, so this is based on Internet translators, but “uit de/je nek praten” definitely means “from the neck speak.” You should find someone who knows, though. It’d be really interesting to know when this moved over—whether it’s in all the Germanic languages or whether it’s an Old New York thing.
2003 Usenet:nl.newsgroups (Jan. 13) “RFD-1 nl.sport”: Uit de nek praten kan iedereen.
(From the neck, everyone can speak.)
2003 Usenet:be.music (July 9) “Delimonator”: dus wie moet ik dan geloven jullie die maar uit je nek praten
(something like “so why should i believe that you only talk from your neck”)
I assume it’s also in German and I fooled around for awhile with “aus dem Hals (or Nacken or Genick) reden (or sprechen)” but no dice.
-Tim
What a fabulous website. Amazing. Thank you.
I am Dutch and I must confirm that the expression really exists here. The first comment is correct. The expression in dutch is “uit zijn nek kletsen”. To prove this I looked it up on the website of _the_ dutch dictionary. Here is the link. It is in dutch, so I don’t expect you to understand what is says. Just search for the word ‘nek’ on the page… or ‘kletsen’ and you’ll see that it really exists. Here it is: http://www.vandale.nl/opzoeken/woordenboek/?zoekwoord=kletsen
It appears in tv series Prison Break, season 1 episode 1
AA slang from the 1970s. It means talking and bypassing the brain.
It can be heard in the song “Doo wop(that thing)” by Lauryn Hill from the album “The miseducation of lauryn hill” dated 1998…”…talking out your neck sayin’ you’re a Christian…”(It became the 10th single to debut at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, and stayed there for two weeks in the fall of 1998, and won two Grammy Awards the following February)