“Bye, Felicia” is a phrase that has become very popular both
in online forums and verbal communication.
This simple phrase is catchy and rolls easily off the tongue (or is easy
to say without much thought), and it is typically stated as a means of
dismissing someone disrespectfully or to signify the end of a conversation that
one wishes to discontinue. The popular
use of this phrase has led many, particularly members of the mass and popular media,
to speculate as to the origins and original meanings of this rather simple
phrase. It has since come to light that
this phrase originated from the movie, Friday. According to the one of the film’s writers,
Ice Cube, the phrase was added and intended to be a dismissive statement that
while directed to a specific character (named Felicia) could be applied to any
individual who was deemed by the user as no longer worthy of further
conversation. The popular use of this
phrase and the general public’s curiosity has led to today’s post, which will
explore what cultural idioms are, as well as examine the origins and meanings
of three popular American idioms.
Cultural idioms are “expression[s] whose meaning [are] not
predictable from the usual meanings of [their] constituent elements, as kick the bucket
or hang one's
head, or from the general grammatical rules of a language, as the table round for the round table, and that [are] not a constituent of a larger expression
of like characteristics” (Dictionary.com).
Put simply, these are phrases that are not meant to be taken literally as
they convey a separate meaning than the literal interpretation. There are simple cultural idioms, such as “to
blow one’s mind”, that convey an entirely different meaning from the literal
one conveyed in the wording of the phrase.
In the case of the former, “to blow one’s mind”, the literal interpretation
fosters ideas of a mind exploding or being destroyed, but the idiomatic meaning
is that someone is surprised or taken aback.
Cultural idioms are culturally specific, and one typically needs to be a
member of the culture in order to understand the true meaning of the
idiom.
But some cultural idioms convey more than just a meaning and
provide a more systematic understanding of the culture. This allows cultural idioms to be a topic of
study among cultural and linguistic anthropologists who wish to learn more
about the social aspects of language and more about the specific culture that
employs that idiom. This is definitely
the case for three such cultural idioms popularly used in American language: “to
kick the bucket”, “on the rag”, and “to go cold turkey”. Each will be discussed further in the
remainder of this post.
Kick the Bucket
The phrase "kick the bucket" may bring to mind ideas of literally kicking a bucket (with one's foot), or perhaps you are familiar with the more colloquial meaning, which refers to one passing away. The phrase originated in the 16th century in England. It is not completely clear as to why the phrase came about, with some scholar citing its origination with the convergence of the French and English languages, but most people believe that the phrase refers to the act of committing suicide. The idea of kicking a bucket is related to individuals' who would hang themselves and use a bucket to elevate the body and the removal of the bucket would lead to strangulation. The phrase eventually was applied to all acts of death, which is what it refers to today.
On the Rag
"On the Rag" is a phrase that does not refer to literally standing or sitting on a rag but instead refers to menstruation. It is a phrase that originated in the late 19th century, and it refers to how women traditionally (as well as in many cultures continue to do) managed menstrual blood, which was through layering absorbent cloth in the vaginal area to catch the menstrual blood. While menstrual pads and tampons came about in the early 1900s, thereby removing the need to utilize layers of cloths (or rags), the term did not fade and continues today, much to the distaste of many women.
To Go Cold Turkey
If images of cold Thanksgiving dinner comes to mind when you hear this phrase you are actually not too far off. This phrase refers to individuals who quit doing something, such as smoking or drinking, without any assistance or weaning. This late 20th century phrase originated out of the reaction to those who quit through this method as they are described as looking like "cold turkeys" as they appear very pale, shiver even when they are not cold, and develop dimples and goosebumps. All of these are symptoms of withdrawal and to some apparently resemble uncooked turkeys.
In conclusion, cultural idioms provide a great deal of insights into culture and language. As demonstrated here in this post historical, cultural, and linguistic perspectives can and are gleaned from these three common phrases. So next time you catch yourself saying a cultural idiom you may want to take a moment to determine and discover what you are actually saying versus what the phrase seems to say.
References
 |
| Figure 1: Kick the Bucket Illustration by Turquoise Luck |
The phrase "kick the bucket" may bring to mind ideas of literally kicking a bucket (with one's foot), or perhaps you are familiar with the more colloquial meaning, which refers to one passing away. The phrase originated in the 16th century in England. It is not completely clear as to why the phrase came about, with some scholar citing its origination with the convergence of the French and English languages, but most people believe that the phrase refers to the act of committing suicide. The idea of kicking a bucket is related to individuals' who would hang themselves and use a bucket to elevate the body and the removal of the bucket would lead to strangulation. The phrase eventually was applied to all acts of death, which is what it refers to today.
 |
| Figure 2: On the Rag Illustration (On the Rag Magazine) |
"On the Rag" is a phrase that does not refer to literally standing or sitting on a rag but instead refers to menstruation. It is a phrase that originated in the late 19th century, and it refers to how women traditionally (as well as in many cultures continue to do) managed menstrual blood, which was through layering absorbent cloth in the vaginal area to catch the menstrual blood. While menstrual pads and tampons came about in the early 1900s, thereby removing the need to utilize layers of cloths (or rags), the term did not fade and continues today, much to the distaste of many women.
 |
| Figure 3: "To Go Cold Turkey" Illustration (Google Images) |
If images of cold Thanksgiving dinner comes to mind when you hear this phrase you are actually not too far off. This phrase refers to individuals who quit doing something, such as smoking or drinking, without any assistance or weaning. This late 20th century phrase originated out of the reaction to those who quit through this method as they are described as looking like "cold turkeys" as they appear very pale, shiver even when they are not cold, and develop dimples and goosebumps. All of these are symptoms of withdrawal and to some apparently resemble uncooked turkeys.
In conclusion, cultural idioms provide a great deal of insights into culture and language. As demonstrated here in this post historical, cultural, and linguistic perspectives can and are gleaned from these three common phrases. So next time you catch yourself saying a cultural idiom you may want to take a moment to determine and discover what you are actually saying versus what the phrase seems to say.
References
Cornforth, T. No Date. "What Does the Phrase "On the Rag" Mean?" About.com http://pms.about.com/od/myths/f/8428_on_the_rag.htm
Dictionary.com. "Idioms." http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/idiom
Mackie, D. 2015. “Friday Hit Theaters 20 Years Ago-And Gave Us ‘Bye, Felicia’.” People Magazine. http://www.people.com/article/friday-20th-anniversary-bye-felicia-origin
Martin, G. 2016. "Kick the Bucket". The Phrase Finder. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/218800.html
No Author. 2016. "20 Essential English Idioms for Sounding Like a Native." Fluent U. http://www.fluentu.com/english/blog/essential-english-idioms/
This post was inspired by the public interest in language but is dedicated to my friend, Katie Vogel, who initially brought to my attention the cultural complexities of language. You are no longer able to read this, but I hope that you are smiling down on those who are. You are forever in our hearts and memories.
32 comments:
The idiom "Bye Felicia" is used a lot at work. I work in a mechanic tech shop so the guys in there rip on each other a lot. I never knew where that "Bye Felicia" came from.
Another one I find interesting how society made popular is "Deez nuts, ha got him" I hear that a lot around shop too.
There's many slang or expression but in today's age it mainly immature.
There is another one that my co-worker uses frequently. Where he agrees or like something someone said he would say
"As a mother, I'd like that"
I find it random and funny but I did not know where it came from. Slowly that phrase spread through the shop and is being used when someone agrees with an idea.
That phrase is from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE7KcF3MphU
I find it interesting how people can take something simple and keep repeating it because it funny or likes the sound and make that idiom phrase famous.
-Dan
I enjoyed this post. I never really have given any thought to idioms and their history. I am now interested to think about where they come from and what they originally meant or why the mean what they do. I have to say that I am was not familiar with “Bye, Felicia”, but I have not seen the movie Friday and I probably have just not picked up on it.
I have always thought of someone being dead when “kick the bucket” was used but to think that it was originally used to refer to suicide gives it a different feel, while making a lot of since.
While it is interesting to know the history behind “on the rag”, it is not a phrase I have ever really liked as I feel it is demeaning and insensitive to women.
I like the ‘Cold Turkey” even more now that I will think of a pale, goose bumped, shivering human every time I hear it. I went “cold turkey” on caffeine a few years ago so I empathize.
I was trying to think of idioms that I hear a lot or use myself and found this web page. As I was reading it I couldn’t help think about how often we use idioms I think with out even thinking about it. http://www.smart-words.org/quotes-sayings/idioms-meaning.html
Sky
I've never put much thought as to how the term "kick the bucket" came about but it does makes sense when explained. As far as cultural idioms go, I come across quite a bit of them at work. I'm a student teacher for first and second grade and as my family is more traditional, I grew up with cultural idioms throughout my childhood. When I teach, I will often say things like "why the long face?" and "take it with a grain of salt". The students will often ask me what I mean and will take it literally so I have to explain it. I try not to use many cultural idioms at work but they often appear out of the blue.
-Kayley Phillips
I had never before thought that the term "to go cold turkey" was actually associated with the way an individual actually looks while they experience actual physical symptoms of withdrawal. This post prompted me to think about what Idioms I may use without realizing. One I realized I use is "you are a pain in my butt".
-Jeremy Murphy
Idioms have always interested me. Language is an evolving form of communication and new meanings are always emerging in popular culture. This leads to a communication divide between older generations and the young.
My children are always explaining new meanings to me and I often feel clueless in the face of these new phrases. It is still interesting that "sick" can mean "rad" or "what cool used to mean" according to my 19 year old son.
"You see someone doing some particularly good parkour and you will say, That's sick!"...
There are also racial and socioeconomic differences in "slang" or idioms and while my son sits here next to me explaining some of these, I have to retire from this blog as I am barely keeping up!
Charlie Goggin
I was so intrigued while reading this blog posting. I myself, have not heard the "bye Felicia" idiom, but I am sure it will seem like I hear it constantly now that it has been brought to my attention. The term "kick the bucket" was extremely surprising to me though. The meaning behind is was something I never knew, or ever would have thought of, but if you think about it, makes perfect sense.
Until I became a parent I never realized how literal these idioms can actually be taken, now I find myself trying to explain to my four year old son that terms like "it costs an arm and a leg" don't really mean I have to pay for it with my arm and leg. I am sure it wont be long before he is using the new idioms that come around and he will be explaining to me the idea of what the term should mean, as opposed to the literal meaning.
Michelle Amos
Idioms are a topic I was surprised to see on an anthropology blog, and I took the time to read carefully through the post. That's when I realized that idioms are the cultural history of terms that are widely used but also misconstrued from their original meaning. Like "kick the bucket" which I did not realize originally meant to commit suicide. I was familiar with the new meaning to die or pass away, but the actual meaning caught me by surprise. Thinking about this I realized how many idioms there are in the English language like "rule of thumb", and I can totally see how someone from another culture would be confused by that saying.
The most interesting was the "on the rag" idiom, which I am of course familiar with. Although I understood the reference which I have heard several times in my life, I did not fully comprehend how bad it must have been in those times. The term on the rag now makes me want to cringe, and it's very interesting how something as personal as menstruation could coin a term that has been used for so many years.
Shannon Carroll
Anthropology 101
It is interesting that you cringe at the origin of "on the rag" because this is actually how many young girls and women around the world today deal with mensuration. It actually causes many to be unable to go to school or do other tasks that we Americans take for granted. So while a fearful thought to us it is a reality to others.
I thought this was a fun blog to read especially since I say “Bye, Felicia” on a frequent basis! Idioms are fun to use and make speaking to other more entertaining, if used in the right context with the right people. I never knew that “kick the bucket’ was referred to as committing suicide back in the day. I have always thought this saying was used for someone about to die. For example: “Oh yeah, grandma is going to kick the bucket soon!” meaning she was not going to be around much longer due to her old age. To go cold turkey is one I have not heard of before! I never knew that this meaning was to quit a habit such as smoking or drinking. – Shannon O’Hair ANTH 102.
I always wonder where "Bye, Felicia" came from. I had no idea that it came from a movie. I really enjoyed this blog. I have heard "kick the bucket", "on the rage", and "to go cold turkey" but I never really thought of how they came about. "kick the bucket" always made me think of someone dying not them committing suicide. As for "on the rag" I just assumed it was a rude thing to say when a girl was on her period. I personally do not like that that phrase. I always wondered why people used the phrase "to go cold turkey". I knew people would say it for example when they would just quit smoking or drinking but never understood the actual turkey part till this blog.
Leslie Milton
Anthropology 101
Course 3001
I also never knew where "bye Felicia" came from but now I know! I've never heard of the idiom "on the rag" but I suppose it makes sense. It's funny because I think every girl has their own idiom when it comes to dealing with "that time of the month". I would share some of mine and my friends but I think it's part of girl code haha.
I never even heard of the phrase "Bye Felicia" but now I understand it's used to disrespectfully or signify the end of the conversation that one wants to end. Back when I was in middle school, I had a teacher use the phrase "Cold Turkey". My middle school teacher used it so you don't show up at a test, and you don't act like you have no idea of what the test covers.
Cultural Idioms would be so much fun to study in-depth. They elude to clues about how certain cultures see themselves, but also how a culture effects the minds of the people within it. There is an intelligence required to absorb meaning from an idiom via a cultural lens. This reminds me of image texts on websites. The little box that has an abstract word that is used as a security protocol against automated computer programs. In a sense this acts the same as a barrier in understanding idioms cross culturally. There is a language built of many subtle nuances that most of us are not always particularly conscious of deconstructing.
One idiom that I feel has bred a lot of nationalistic and racial resentment is: "pull yourself up by the bootstraps". I feel that the image of public assistance recipients has been misrepresented. The cutting and dismanlting of many public assistance programs has always had an undercurrent/tone of beneficiaries being from minority groups and an overall stigma attached of ultilizing public assistance, as well as to the word "welfare".
The use of this idiom makes me cringe (especially so if the person spewing such vitriolic and derisive sentiments is happy to collect a Social Security cheque.) Given the political climate, I feel that the connotation behind the idiom transcends now its status as a micro-agression.
The topic of the idiom "kick the bucket" really caught my eye. It's interesting to see how some view the saying as meaning committing suicide. I've heard and used the phrase many times before, and now I'm seeing how little I actually know about it.
The same goes for the phrase "cold turkey." How interesting to see its meaning! And how true at that!
This post was a fun read. Just like we discussed in class the american language has many idioms. I find the idiom "on the rag" a very commonly used idiom and especially used by men when the woman in their lives are being moody. With that being said, even in spanish is that idiom translates in a lot of ways, the most common way "andas en tus dias" basically saying "on your days". Not the direct translation but it is used in the same contex. It is interesting to see two different languages ans cultures use the same idiom in similar contex.
S. Covian
Anthopolpgy 101
I love to learn about the origins of idioms. My mother used late 19th century idioms all the time when I was growing up. She learned them from her mother, and her mother learned them from her mother and so on. It used to drive me crazy, because some of them made no sense to me. I heard terms such as "dead ringer", "graveyard shift", and "burning the midnight oil". The origins of these were from burial practices way back when, but they are still being used today.
I never thought about the origin of "cold turkey", and I never would have guessed that explanation. This was an interesting and informative read.
This was interesting, the term "bye Felicia" I hear that everyday. It's crazy how that movie came out years ago and now the term is just becoming popular. A lot of the other terms I haven't heard of beside " To Go Cold Turkey" the others are new to me.
Aaliyah Caldwell
Its really cool to hear the origins of things like that and possession and other stuff we do not think much about. I've heard "bye Felicia" a lot but never really thought about it too much its really cool that i now know where it came from.
I know of the phrase of kick the bucket is refers to someone passing away, but don't know the origin is from England.
I had heard of all of them except "on the rag" before reading this article and its cool learning something new everyday. And also I'm glad to know why they called it going cold turkey because I never understood that until now.
I love the origins of the idiom "bring home the bacon." Some churches would give free bacon to men who haven't argued with their wives for a month. Considering that the phrase is now used in reference to the payment received for one's hard work, I believe that the saying was a joke when first said, like not arguing with one's wife was hard work.
Idioms are something you here everyday in a college setting. With everybody watching movies and then taking those sayings back to the campus things like "bye felecia" and "Fasho" are said and heard everyday in normal coversations.
Idioms are something that I can admittedly say my people and the people I was brought around use as commonly as our regular vocabulary. Saying "It's lit" or "Turnt Up" have always been popularly used idioms in the HBCU setting. The phrases mean "We're about to have a good time/ really enjoy ourselves".
I can relate to a few of these cultural idioms myself. It would be neat to see on the sign in sheet to see if students can come up with some good ones. A few Idioms I use daily with friends is "Whats good" or "Hes Swole"
I thought that Bye Flecia was meant to be rude. Kick the bucket makes me think of your bucket list. I didn't realize it was from hanging and kicking the bucket underneath you. This article makes me think of the song by Tim McGraw "Back When". When you said "I'm down with that" it meant you had the flu.
Logan Taylor
Kick the Bucket don't sound like an act of committing suicide, to me it seems like someone kicked the bucket trying to make a joke and end up killing someone. But I guess I understand what the actual meaning is trying to say.
Cultural idioms are very common in today’s era and may vary with time and cultural capital. It seems to me that most cultural idioms develop from the media fed to a society.
Shila Williams
I never heard of any of these cutural idioms before. I didnt know "kick the bucket" meant that someone were to hang themself.
-Daisha Benton
the only idiom in the blog that I have used knowingly was the cutting cold turkey. Going back and thinking of all the idioms we use its really interesting to see how much we use them in our daily lives.
"On the rag" Has to be the funniest one on here. I've never really heard anyone say it but I still know what it means.This blog shows you of how we use cultural idioms everyday and don't even know it.
-Jasmine Busby
The post introduces cultural idioms and gives a modern example in "Bye, Felicia." How this statement serves to quickly stop talks or to reject someone insensitively highlights the social significance that language carries as well as how cultural expressions change over time. By exploring the cultural roots of the term, the mention of "Bye, Felicia"'s supposed origin in the movie Friday deepens the issue. This puts its use in perspective and shows how linguistic idioms may arise from popular culture and find their way into regular conversation.
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