"I'll Be a Monkey's Uncle" Idiom Meaning, Origin & History | Superduper English Idioms
Channel: Superduper English Idioms
Date: 25/08/2020

0:00 - How to Say, “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.”
0:26 - Examples of “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.”
0:56 - Meaning of “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.”
1:45 - Origin of “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.”
4:17 - More Examples of “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.”
5:00 - Conclusion

“I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.”

You might have heard an older gentleman say, “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle!” to express surprise, wonder, shock or disbelief about a situation.

“Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle, you did it, you really did it!” your actual uncle might say after you got his tractor out of a deep ditch.

Maybe you and a friend are walking past the beach during lockdown, “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle, there are so many people at the beach!”

As you can tell, the idiom, “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle,” indicates the speaker’s absolute amazement or shocking surprise at events unexpected.

The idiom may simply be used as, “monkey’s uncle,” but it is most often heard as, “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle,” or, “Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle!”

“Monkey’s uncle! Isn’t that neat?” someone might say after experiencing some new and interesting technology.

“I’ll be a monkey’s uncle,” was originally a sarcastic remark made by creationists (people who believe that our universe was created by a god or divine being), scoffing at the idea of evolution.

Charles Darwin published “On the Origin of Species” in 1859 and many people at the time did not like the idea that humans evolved from monkeys, or primates.

Thus, being related to monkeys, or being a monkey’s uncle, was seen as ridiculous and so the idiom came to be used as an expression for other incredible events.

It is quite humbling to ponder the thought that humans are a result of millions of years of evolution and have only been around for about 12,000 years.

You may find it depressing to think that we humans have no greater purpose than procreation and are no more important than any other creature on this planet.

However, you may also find this thought to be liberating; it is indeed a massive weight off your shoulders to believe that there is no “greater purpose” for you.

Thus, your life should be lived for yourself - you should find your own meaning in life, whatever you decide it may be.

Accordingly, a powerful politician or business person is not any more important than a park ranger or volunteer who has decided to dedicate their life to preserving natural habitats.

“I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! We got the bill passed,” you and other activists might be celebrating a new law protecting the Indonesian rainforest.

Maybe your grandpa is reading about the first human to set foot on Mars, “Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! They’ve landed on Mars!”

“What is this? Monkey’s uncle! Is that a printer that prints things and not just paper?” your dad might wonder.

So, the next time you see something surprising or incredible, don’t forget to yell out, “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle!” (even if you would be a monkey’s aunt).

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