Spotlight on Students: Origins and Meanings of American Idioms

This post highlights the work required of my SA 202: Introduction to Anthropology students. Students were given the opportunity to research and identify the origins and meanings of a specific American phrase that they selected. Several students were given the opportunity to have their exemplary work featured on the blog, and the students who provided permission have their work featured here in this and the following blog posts. Please show your appreciation for their work through the comments. 

 

By: Namarius Banks-Warren

The phrase “piece of cake” means that something is very easy to do. I chose this expression because I hear it often in daily life, and I was curious about why cake is linked to something simple. It is interesting how a common food like cake can have a deeper cultural meaning and be used to describe tasks that are effortless. This expression shows how language uses familiar, enjoyable things to make ideas more relatable and vivid. It is a good example of how culture and language are connected, and it helps us understand how people express ease and simple in a fun, colorful way. Before doing this research, I always thought “piece of cake” just meant a task that was really easy and did not take much effort. I never really thought about where the phrase came from or how long people have been using it as a metaphor. Research did show that the phrase first appeared in Ogden Nash’s 1936 poem Primrose Path, where it was used to describe life as pleasant and carefree. It later became more popular during World War II when American soldiers used it to describe missions that were easy to complete (Knowles, 2009). Some researchers also link the phrase to “cakewalks,” which were 19th-century dance contests in enslaved African American communities. Winners often received a cake, and the word “cakewalk” itself came to mean something that was easily achieved (Partridge, 2002). The phrase was originally connected to something fun or rewarding. Over time its meaning became more specific, mainly describing tasks that are really easy to do. The change probably happened because cake is both tasty and quick to eat, making it a good metaphor for something that is effortless. This change also reveals something about American culture. Food, and especially desserts, are often tied to reward, pleasure, and satisfaction. Calling something a “piece of cake” reflects not only how simple it is, but also how rewarding it feels once it is done.

Knowles, E. (2009). The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press.
Partridge, E. (2002). A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English. Routledge.

 

By: Jada Mabry

I chose the phrase "this is my jam" because it is a very funny phrase that I have heard before  but never used. It also never came to my mind that this phrase relates to dessert. 

It is a phrase that I hear when people are speaking about their musical tastes or something that they like, so I believe it means “this is my song” or “I really like this song.” I have also heard it used as “I really like this thing.” Either way, it can be used almost interchangeably depending on the context.

The original meaning comes from the word jam, which means “the playing of instruments in an improvised way.” It is  hard to pinpoint the direct origins of jamming, but what I found is that in the 1920s, it was used as a term to describe Black and White musicians playing together after hours. This was not allowed for Black people and White people to make music together, so those late-night hours were enjoyable, unfiltered song sessions.

The meaning slowly evolved from enjoying mixed music to enjoying your favorite song. “This is my jam” turned into a diverse phrase for whatever song (or thing) that you like. How it has evolved is also debated, but I believe the phrase became a general term for enjoying something.

The meaning changed for what may be a few reasons. American English is very expressive and using a phrase such as “this is my jam” can be a lot more interesting than simply saying “I like this thing.” Another reason may be pop culture. Online personalities and celebrities have used “this is my jam,” such as Bo Burnham’s Vine published in 2013 where there is music playing and he says, “This is my jam, this is my jam. Hold on… This is my jam…” -- where at the end, the music stops and he pulls out a jar of jam. I think this shows how pop culture evolved language to become more suitable and personalized to the person using the phrase.

Hughes, Emily. “What Is Jamming in Music? - Musical Mum.” Musical Mum, 4 Mar. 2022, www.musicalmum.com/what-is-jamming-in-music/. Accessed 24 Sept. 2025.

“Jamming in the Car: When Your Favorite Song Plays | ShunAuto.” Shunauto.com, 10 Aug. 2025, shunauto.com/article/when-your-jam-comes-on-in-the-car-vine? Accessed 24 Sept. 2025.

Team WeJam. “New to Jamming? Here’s What You Need to Know - WeJam.” WeJam - the Immersive Rockstar Experience, 10 Nov. 2022, wejam.studio/blog/new-to-jamming-heres-what-you-need-to-know/.

VineScope. “Funny Vine: THIS IS MY JAM !!” YouTube, 12 June 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=orumaOYLyVQ. Accessed 25 Sept. 2025.