The Goose Hung High
hog...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Occassionally you run across this phrase in writings from the 1930s.
From the context, I understand it to mean that things went well when the
goose hung high. I'm sure the words "goose", "hung" and "high" will
have different meaning for the younger generation than it did for those that
lived through the thirties. Does anyone know the origin of the phrase
and its true meaning back then?
--
************************************************************************
Garry R. Finell, B.S.A., D.V.M hog...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
502, 9816 - 112 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5K 1L5
(403)488-3713 a.k.a. Rusty Garrett
The smiling redhead whose goal in life is to see himself
and others reach their full potential
************************************************************************
N.R. Mitchum
hog...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca wrote:
-------------
> Occassionally you run across this phrase in writings from the 1930s.
> From the context, I understand it to mean that things went well when the
> goose hung high. I'm sure the words "goose", "hung" and "high" will
> have different meaning for the younger generation than it did for those that
> lived through the thirties. Does anyone know the origin of the phrase
> and its true meaning back then?
Don't count on dating this phrase only to the Thirties, though of
course it may well have enjoyed a renewed popularity in those years.
One of my sources reports, rather inconclusively, that the expression
*the goose hangs high* (meaning things are propitious, all is well) is
"sometimes regarded as a corruption of 'the goose honks high,' on the
supposition that, in fair weather, the geese fly high and honk as they
fly." But he finds no evidence to back this supposition.
The lexicographer also cites a 1923 deskbook of phrases which links the
saying to a cruel American sport called "gander pulling," as described
in an 1818 book: it involved horsemen competing to pull the head off a
live, tethered goose. Apparently the 1923 author concluded that there
was better sport when the goose was hung high, but my source does not
appear to take this opinion seriously. Notice however that the phrase
had found its way into a 1920s reference, and so it must have been
around for some time already.
Its original meaning will probably never be discovered for certain,
as with so many other curious expressions, although that fact won't
bar anyone from claiming that he knows precisely the who, where, and
when of its birth.
For my own part, I would have said at first glance that the phrase had
some connection to the old practice of hanging game meat till it was
slightly spoiled ... and there were plenty of wild geese at one time.
(It beats me how people could believe putrid meat was an improvement on
fresh.)
Hanging in there,
Nathan Mitchum [Post&Email]
00nzwi...@bsuvc.bsu.edu
In article <52tm7f$f...@news.sas.ab.ca>, hog...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca () writes:
> Occassionally you run across this phrase in writings from the 1930s.
> From the context, I understand it to mean that things went well when the
> goose hung high. I'm sure the words "goose", "hung" and "high" will
> have different meaning for the younger generation than it did for those that
> lived through the thirties. Does anyone know the origin of the phrase
> and its true meaning back then?
The caught and killed goose was hung by its neck to age properly before
dressing and roasting - hence, "the goose hangs high" means "we have won; it
is a certainty that we have a treat in store."
--
Nyal Z. Williams
00nzwi...@bsuvc.bsu.edu
Keith C. Ivey
"N.R. Mitchum" <aj...@mail.lafn.org> wrote:
>For my own part, I would have said at first glance that the
>phrase had some connection to the old practice of hanging
>game meat till it was slightly spoiled ... and there were
>plenty of wild geese at one time. (It beats me how people
>could believe putrid meat was an improvement on fresh.)
Are you equally puzzled by aged steaks? How about cheese?
sauerkraut? kimchi? wine? yogurt? beer? Plenty of foods are
"slightly spoiled".
[posted and mailed]
Keith C. Ivey <kci...@cpcug.org> Washington, DC
Contributing Editor/Webmaster
The Editorial Eye <http://www.eei-alex.com/eye/>
Keith C. Ivey
N.R. Mitchum
Keith C. Ivey wrote:
---------
> sauerkraut? kimchi? wine? yogurt? beer? Plenty of foods are
> "slightly spoiled".
I wouldn't compare "high" meat to the precisely controlled and
arrested putrefaction of such foods, all produced under the
tightest supervision (or so we tell ourselves). No, when I read
that a seventeenth-century huntsman left a dead goose hanging
from a peg for a couple of weeks, I tend to think of the times I
unsuspectingly got a mouthful of rotten chicken meat -- the sort
of taste that stays in your mouth for days and in your memory
for years.
"Puzzlement" is too nice a word for this sort of association.
Nathan Mitchum [post&email]
Chris Malcolm
In article <3254D3...@mail.lafn.org> "N.R. Mitchum" <aj...@mail.lafn.org> writes:
>Keith C. Ivey wrote:
>> Are you equally puzzled by aged steaks? How about cheese?
>> sauerkraut? kimchi? wine? yogurt? beer? Plenty of foods are
>> "slightly spoiled".
>I wouldn't compare "high" meat to the precisely controlled and
>arrested putrefaction of such foods, all produced under the
>tightest supervision (or so we tell ourselves). No, when I read
>that a seventeenth-century huntsman left a dead goose hanging
>from a peg for a couple of weeks, I tend to think of the times I
>unsuspectingly got a mouthful of rotten chicken meat -- the sort
>of taste that stays in your mouth for days and in your memory
>for years.
The hanging is precisely controlled. The goose is ready when the
feathers are easily pulled off. Just how easily is a matter of taste,
differentiating between hung and well hung. This is practised today by
all good European game butchers and anyone (European) who shoots or
traps birds and other game for the pot. These days most of them know,
however, that customers with American accents should not be served well
hung meat of any kind.
Getting a mouthful of horribly rotten meat is a hazard of the careless
overuse of refrigerators and microwave cookers, which is why
connoisseurs of good meat use these devices as sparingly as possible.
--
Chris Malcolm c...@dai.ed.ac.uk +44 (0)131 650 3085
Department of Artificial Intelligence, Edinburgh University
5 Forrest Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2QL, UK DoD #205
central...@hotmail.com
On Thursday, October 3, 1996 at 2:00:00 AM UTC-5, N.R. Mitchum wrote:
> hog...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca wrote:
> -------------
> > From the context, I understand it to mean that things went well when the
> > goose hung high. I'm sure the words "goose", "hung" and "high" will
> > have different meaning for the younger generation than it did for those that
> > lived through the thirties. Does anyone know the origin of the phrase
> > and its true meaning back then?
>
> Don't count on dating this phrase only to the Thirties, though of
> course it may well have enjoyed a renewed popularity in those years.
>
> One of my sources reports, rather inconclusively, that the expression
> *the goose hangs high* (meaning things are propitious, all is well) is
> "sometimes regarded as a corruption of 'the goose honks high,' on the
> supposition that, in fair weather, the geese fly high and honk as they
> fly." But he finds no evidence to back this supposition.
>
> The lexicographer also cites a 1923 deskbook of phrases which links the
> saying to a cruel American sport called "gander pulling," as described
> in an 1818 book: it involved horsemen competing to pull the head off a
> live, tethered goose. Apparently the 1923 author concluded that there
> was better sport when the goose was hung high, but my source does not
> appear to take this opinion seriously. Notice however that the phrase
> had found its way into a 1920s reference, and so it must have been
> around for some time already.
>
> Its original meaning will probably never be discovered for certain,
> as with so many other curious expressions, although that fact won't
> bar anyone from claiming that he knows precisely the who, where, and
> when of its birth.
>
> some connection to the old practice of hanging game meat till it was
> slightly spoiled ... and there were plenty of wild geese at one time.
> (It beats me how people could believe putrid meat was an improvement on
> fresh.)
>
>
pat.r...@entechsales.com
> Occassionally you run across this phrase in writings from the 1930s.
> From the context, I understand it to mean that things went well when the
> goose hung high. I'm sure the words "goose", "hung" and "high" will
> have different meaning for the younger generation than it did for those that
> lived through the thirties. Does anyone know the origin of the phrase
> and its true meaning back then?
>
> ************************************************************************
> Garry R. Finell, B.S.A., D.V.M hog...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
> 502, 9816 - 112 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5K 1L5
> (403)488-3713 a.k.a. Rusty Garrett
> The smiling redhead whose goal in life is to see himself
> and others reach their full potential
> ************************************************************************
> Occassionally you run across this phrase in writings from the 1930s.
> From the context, I understand it to mean that things went well when the
> goose hung high. I'm sure the words "goose", "hung" and "high" will
> have different meaning for the younger generation than it did for those that
> lived through the thirties. Does anyone know the origin of the phrase
> and its true meaning back then?
>
Athel Cornish-Bowden
> On Wednesday, October 2, 1996 at 2:00:00 AM UTC-5,
> hog...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca wrote
reply. I have my doubts as to whether Garry R. Finell, BSA, DVM, has
been checking AUE daily in the hope of a reply.
Is this a record?
--
athel
![Peter Duncanson [BrE]'s profile photo](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a-/ALV-UjU1GGYFBCZgBCNB-pRgkosMu-ej0qpnECw3jc8uGYOTiF8a=s40-c)
Peter Duncanson [BrE]
alive. He was 3 weeks ago, unless he's found some way of tweeting from
beyond the grave.
https://twitter.com/heifertester
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
Tony Cooper
of America. A "DVM" is a Doctor of veterinary Medicine". I assume
that Barry has his Merit Badge in Animal Science.
http://www.usscouts.org/mb/mb018.asp
BSA motorcycles are not unseen here, but not one of the most-seen
brands and not one particularly favored by vets.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando FL
Peter Duncanson [BrE]
<tonyco...@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Thu, 30 Apr 2015 18:04:15 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
><ma...@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 30 Apr 2015 15:44:39 +0200, Athel Cornish-Bowden
>><athe...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>>On 2015-04-30 14:45:46 +0200, pat.r...@entechsales.com said:
>>>
>>>> On Wednesday, October 2, 1996 at 2:00:00 AM UTC-5,
>>>> hog...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca wrote
>>>
>>>something or other, and more than 18 years later Pat Rucker attempted a
>>>reply. I have my doubts as to whether Garry R. Finell, BSA, DVM, has
>>>been checking AUE daily in the hope of a reply.
>>>
>>>Is this a record?
>>
>>Possibly. I checked to see whether Garry R. Finell, BSA, DVM, is still
>>alive. He was 3 weeks ago, unless he's found some way of tweeting from
>>beyond the grave.
>>https://twitter.com/heifertester
>
>The initials "BSA" mean, to me, that he's a member of the Boy Scouts
>of America. A "DVM" is a Doctor of veterinary Medicine". I assume
>that Barry has his Merit Badge in Animal Science.
>
The most likely BSA from here is Bachelor of Science in Agriculture:
http://www.acronymfinder.com/BSA.html
Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Bachelor of Science and Arts
seem less likely.
>http://www.usscouts.org/mb/mb018.asp
>
>BSA motorcycles are not unseen here, but not one of the most-seen
>brands and not one particularly favored by vets.
--