Stop saying 'goose'
The Free Dictionary defines a ‘wild goose chase’ as ‘an attempt to accomplish something impossible or unlikely of attainment.’
But really, why do people use this expression? With today’s technology, surely it can’t be that difficult to catch a wild goose, provided it does not have too much of a head start, or advanced counter intelligence training.
The expression is usually used to refer to the act of pursuing something that can’t be found, which would be better described as a “wild no-goose chase”, really.
Maybe this is one of those expressions where the spelling has changed over the years and the original meaning has been lost. Perhaps this expression originally referred to an attempt to catch Oscar behaving foolishly, and that activity came to be known as a ‘Wilde Goose Chase.’
It’s Possible.
The phrase is also used to describe something that is a big waste of time and effort. In that sense, it remains an accurate reflection of the basic principle that if one really needs a wild goose, it is far less effort to simply go and find a tame goose and annoy it.
Yes folks, this is the sort of stuff that goes on in my head all the time.
But really, why do people use this expression? With today’s technology, surely it can’t be that difficult to catch a wild goose, provided it does not have too much of a head start, or advanced counter intelligence training.
The expression is usually used to refer to the act of pursuing something that can’t be found, which would be better described as a “wild no-goose chase”, really.
Maybe this is one of those expressions where the spelling has changed over the years and the original meaning has been lost. Perhaps this expression originally referred to an attempt to catch Oscar behaving foolishly, and that activity came to be known as a ‘Wilde Goose Chase.’
It’s Possible.
The phrase is also used to describe something that is a big waste of time and effort. In that sense, it remains an accurate reflection of the basic principle that if one really needs a wild goose, it is far less effort to simply go and find a tame goose and annoy it.
Yes folks, this is the sort of stuff that goes on in my head all the time.
posted by I'm not Craig at 6:28 AM
7 Comments:
with the exception of the extremely TAME geese at the park which are lured by - nay even by the promise of - stale bread, I doubt very much if I could catch a wild goose.
But then I don't use that expression either, so that makes it even stevens (another stupid, outdated expression...it's something to do with Bewitched, right?)
Ha! I was toying with the idea of a post about sayings. Really!
But it wouldn't have been half as entertaining as this one.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Meva, you just can't go to everyone's blogs and say you were just about to do the that post. I don't know, kids today, etc.
INC, you are, of course, absolutely right. With big sniper guns and helicopters that shoot nets and quick dogs with bees in their mouths wild gooses don't stand a chance.
The saying might have been fine in the 17th century when the common man only had sticks but quite frankly I'm disappointed they didn't think ahead and coined a term with no real longevity.
Clearly, a revolution is required, sayings need to be updated:
Wild star chase?
Wild bigfoot chase?
Wild internet lurker chase?
There are so many sayings that are outdated, and quite frankly, are getting a bit stale and overused. Vive revolution!
Adam, it's true! You must have seen it when you peeked in my head yesterday. It was snuggled just behind Benicio del Torro and a bit to the left of the lemon tart. Or maybe the champagne waterfall blocked your view?
Yeah Meva,
You should just do the post, like me.
Shameless really.
Giggles, Meva and Adam
I've said it before, I'll say it again, whenever this blog is good it's because I have the funniest commenters in the known universe.
In relation to technology, the thing that has really made the most difference is the invention of GPS.*
Meva, you absolutely have to do a post about sayings. There are quite a few of them and Gigglewick and I have only taken two of them. Perhaps you could cover other well known sayings like "Busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest"
Adam is right about the need to update 'wild goose chase'. I suggest 'wild rice chase', not because it's particularly hard to catch wild rice, but because once you've caught it, proving to anyone that it's different to the domestically grown rice I normally eat would be pretty close to impossible.
Perhaps the nutbags who advertise their chips as 'sea-salt' flavour may have a few useful tips to pass on.
* Goose Pursuit Systems
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