Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith.org Forums General Topics Q&A about words Small potatoes/beer; big fish/frog
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
OP These derogatory expressions puzzle me. It's not a good thing to be small potatoes - but why not? (I suspect this expression started before people got keen on "new potatoes" which are usually on the small side, and delicious when boiled with a bit of mint! nothing bad about being a small potato if you are also a new potato.)
One of my brothers recently used the term "small beer" to me, I think about a tourist attraction. Something along the lines of, "I think people from Europe would find such-and-such very small beer." (Can't remember what the attraction was.) Why is small beer bad? I have a feeling it's probably a brewmaster's expression - but how did it arise?
And then, when you wish to point out that someone thinks he's pretty special, when in reality he's pretty average (can you be degrees of average?!), you cut him down by calling him "a big fish [or frog] in a small pond." Is this to say that of course he thinks he's pretty special, because there ain't much for him to compare himself to? ie, if he were in a bigger pond, he couldn't, ahem, crow so much? (do fish and frogs crow?! big ones do!)
Anyone know anything fascinating and illuminating about any or all of these phrases?
Let us go in peace to love and serve the board.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted Small potatoes/beer; big fish/frog modestgoddess 06/19/02 01:50 AM big fish/frog hev 06/19/02 04:25 AM Re: Small potatoes/beer; big fish/frog alexis 06/19/02 07:26 AM Re: Small potatoes/beer; big fish/frog consuelo 06/19/02 09:56 AM Re: Small potatoes/beer; big fish/frog Angel 06/19/02 10:30 AM Re: Small potatoes/beer; big fish/frog alexis 06/19/02 10:55 AM Re: Small potatoes/beer; big fish/frog wwh 06/19/02 01:13 PM
Moderated by Jackie
Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,913Posts229,374Members9,182 Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV
9,182 Registered Users
Who's Online Now 0 members (), 197 guests, and 0 robots. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days) A C Bowden 26
Top Posters wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613wofahulicodoc 10,562tsuwm 10,542LukeJavan8 9,919Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith.org