Thursday, December 14, 2006

question of the day.

is selfishness a result of insecurity?
or is insecurity a result of selfishness?

hmm...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Head over heels"

Meaning

Excited, and/or turning cartwheels to demonstrate one's excitement.

Origin

'Head over heels' is now most often used as part of 'head over heels in love'. When first coined it wasn't used that way though and referred exclusively to being temporarily the wrong way up. It is one of many similar phrases that we use to describe things that are not in their usual state - 'upside-down', 'topsy-turvy', 'topple up tail', 'arse over tea-kettle', 'bass-ackwards' etc.

Herbert Lawrence's Contemplative Man, 1771 is the first known citation of 'head over heels':

"He gave [him] such a violent involuntary kick in the Face, as drove him Head over Heels."

The first mention of love comes in 1834, by which time the phrase had crossed the Atlantic, and into David Crockett's Narrative of the life of David Crockett:

"I soon found myself head over heels in love with this girl."

Note: Non-American readers might not realize that Davy Crockett was a real person. Certainly in the UK he has the semi-mythic status of characters like Robin Hood and William Tell. Crockett is best known here by the old joke: "Did you know Davy Crockett had three ears? A left ear, a right ear and a wild frontier."

'Head over heels' is a good example of how language can communicate meaning even when it makes no literal sense. After all, our head is normally over our heels. The phrase originated in the 14th century as 'heels over head', meaning doing a cartwheel or somersault. This appeared later in Thomas Carlyle's History of Frederick the Great, 1864:

"A total circumgyration, summerset, or tumble heels-over-head in the Political relations of Europe."

Another note: Carlyle's spelling of summerset for somersault. John Lennon reinvented that in 'Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite' - "Ten somersets he'll undertake on solid ground."

'Head over heels' isn't alone - many everyday idioms make no literal sense. Another nice example is 'putting your best foot forward'. Anyone trying that should arrange to have at least three legs. We humans should limit our efforts to 'putting our better foot forward', unless we want to end up 'heels over head'.

See - I told you I read your blogs sometimes.

loisa said...

the christmas schedule over there at saddleback not quite filling your day, eh tony?

i must say, i would know a lot less things if it weren't for your readiness to inform. ;) and while this information does not make me any more endeared to this non-sensical phrase, it does make me a little more endeared to you, which i think was your point in the first place. well done.

Anonymous said...

That's like asking if wine is a result of happiness or if happiness is a result of wine. OK, maybe it's not EXACTLY like that, but what I'm trying to say is that I'd like a nice glass of Merlot please. Out of my insecure nature I will offer you some of the wine hoping that you'll like me more because of it. Out of my selfishness I will poor my glass with more wine than yours.

Eric said...

My brain hurts from trying to figure this out.

Anonymous said...

it is different for each person...however, they are alike in that each is a result of one's "upbringing".
also, usually it is the former one that is seen by others, and the latter one that is seen by the individual...
- darkflux
the_darkflux(a)darkflux(.)net