[Essay] Like the village idiot

Status
Not open for further replies.

Fanoos62

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2014
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
What does "like the village idiot" mean?
 
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
I read somewhere that the village idiot was often the consequence of inbreeding and numbers fell after the invention of the bicycle. I don't know if it's real or cod history, but it's a good story.
 

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I read somewhere that the village idiot was often the consequence of inbreeding and numbers fell after the invention of the bicycle. I don't know if it's real or cod history, but it's a good story.

Cod history? Is that an expression?
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Cod history? Is that an expression?

Yes. It means "not real". See definition 5 below.

"cod (kɒd)vb (tr) , cods, codding or codded1. Brit and Irish to make fun of; tease
2. Brit and Irish to play a trick on; fool

n3. Brit and Irish a hoax or trick
4. Irish a fraud; hoaxer: he's an old cod.

adj (prenominal)5. Brit mock; sham: cod Latin.

(From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Cod)
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
With modern modes of travel and communications, there should be a village Übermensch.
 
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
"Cod history"? I dunno, sounds fishy to me..... :-D
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I thought my herring was going. Still, there's a time and a plaice for these things! ;-)
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
As long as the word serves a porpoise. :lol:
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
I'm surprised no one has said they're having a whale of a time.
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
I wish you'd all clam up. You're making my head hake.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Ooh, Rover's feeling crabby tonight.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
If anyone chips in with another pun, I'll batter them. ;-)
 
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Maybe we should kipper lid on or at least scale back our off-topic punning....last time we went on tangent like this, a mod got all roughy and closed the thread. (Not that my knuckles still sting from being rapped. ;-) )
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I'll just sit on my perch and sea what happens. ;-)
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I'm going to tuna out now, because I think we've run out of puns.

:)
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Are you leaving us to flounder? :-D
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
I'm glad to see people have decided to mull it over.
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Clam up, will ya! :lol:

And stop being such a crab. :lol:

:lol:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top