Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-05-12
METAPHORS OF THE PEOPLE.

METAPHORS OF THE PEOPLE.
"No advance" says Max Miller. "was
possible in the intellectuallife Of man with.
out metaphor" and he admirably shows
how words multiply and language in
creascs its capacity through the tendency
OF men TO observe resemblances. thus
from roots meaning to shine, to be bright,
names were formed for sun, moon, stars,
the eyes of men, gold, silver, play, joy,
happiness, love. With roots meaning to
strike, 1t was possible to name an axe, the
thunderbolt, fist, parslytic stroke, q
striking remark, and a stroke of business.
From roots meaning to 60, names were
derived for clouds, for ivy, for creepers,
serpents, cattle and chattel, movable and
inmovable property" Mctaphorical syno-
nyms became prevalent, as when the sun
was called the bright, the golden, the pre-.
server, from its qualities, or when clouds
were called mountains, and rain clouds
cows with heavy udders.
Metaphor, 1t Is thus seen, is the we'll
spring from which are drawn the in
Vulnerable synonyms which swell our
language. If our words were Invested of
all but their original, literal meanings, half
of what is written from day to day would
be unintclligible. We should receive no
vivid idea from the description of man
of mettle with iron frame and nerves Of
steel.
The language is full of this metaphor
cal use OF words. The fact has been
especially noticed by the iokers Of the
period, who produce some of their easiest
effects of wit by wrenching phrase from
its figurative to its literal meaning. For
shoe for tho foot of mountain and 4
hat for the head Of discourse. though 1t
was suggested that the cap of climax
would have been as well. We are told Of
poor old gentleman who sat down On
the spur OF the moment; of a gardener
who planted blow on his employer
face; of young lady who tainted at a
bare idea, who wore spectacles to cover
her naked eyes, who refused to sit in the
Jap Of luxury, even blushing at
the mention of the lapse Of
ages forgetting that lapse is not the
plural Of lsp), and who would not 60 to
the sea. shore lest her waist should be en-
circlcd by an arm of the sea.
Among list Of curiOsities might be
mentioned the hook and line with which
fisherman caught a cold; the hammer
whi6A broke up meetings. fuke from
the anchor of hope; one of the spurs CT
the Rocky Mountain; q hinge from
the gates of death q story which melted
| a heart of oak; buttons from q coat OF
paint; spectacles for the eyes OF q potato
braces for shoulder OF mutton dye for
the beard Of an oyster earrings for an
ear OF corn cheese made from the milk
of human kindness, butter from the cream
of joke, and eggs got from nest oil
thieves. tsa3sl 4stt r7
But 1t is more especially our purpose to
note how the talk of the commonest class
es develops INCREASINGLY new metaphors
and grotesque fancics. There is all odd
| illustration of this in some of the names
for articles of apparel. The common black
hat never had respectable name, proba-
bly, on account of the inherent absurdity
Of the thing itself-stiff, heavy, unventi
lated, hot as q Dutch oven, and towering
up to an unnecessary height. II used tc
be called beaver, but that name is nc
longer correct, the hat being made of silk
! Its most common title is the metaphorica
one of steve-pipe," which suggests not
only its shape, but the heat generated in
side of it. In some sections dress-coat
is scarcely known by any other name
than "swallow- tail" The title "shad
belly had particular reference to shape
Of the front that is now out Of vogue the
synonym "claw hammer" gives an ex
ccllent idea Of the tails. But perhaps none
of these is as expressive Of the present
shape Of this article Of full dress, as thu
name given by the West Point cadets o
steel.pen." The narrow standing collar
which was at one time fashionable wa'
called " cut.throaty" which was peculiarly
appropriate and suggestive. The whit,
neck-tie used by some clergymel
has generally the appearance OF being tiel
very tight, and seems to acquire from thi
circumstance the designation of chOker.
The waterfall" worn by ladies, was namet
from the appearance of the curls first used
! flowing as it were over the back of tn,
head. The Pal HAL, Gazette insists
that chignons should be called chOur, o.
cabbages The earliest definition OF thu
chignOn in our language, given bv Col
grave in 1911, runs thus: "Chignon, thu
chyne or chynepeece of the neck; also. Z
knot or knurre In peece OF wood OF
tymber." The earliest description Il
found in the lMxndus Millie6ris, 1890.
Behind the nodale every e % baggage sS
Fairholt defines the "choux" as "ths
great round boss or bundle of hair, worr
1T the back of the head, and resembling q
cabbage, from whenoefthe French gave \
that name" - 1900. -. 500
United States bills have no popular name
but q greenbacka" The title OF "stamps
for fractional currency was used Of
the time, during the civil war,
when the scarcity OF small change neces-