Mickey Starling
reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com
It seems there are more than enough idioms to cover all walks of life and time periods. This week, join me on a journey into the Old West to recall some elderly idioms before they ride off into the sunset.
First, let’s start the pace off right for the slower folks among us. You know the type, they seem to have a “hitch in their giddy-up.” This means they have encountered a small problem or impediment that is slowing their progress. It could also be used as an indication that someone isn’t feeling well.
The “hitch” is the problem you’re facing and the “giddy-up” is an old phrase used to tell horses to get up and get moving. In the phrase, it is generally indicative of forward progress.
Staying in cowboy mode, there are times in life when we must “circle our wagons.” This little gem came about in the mid 1800s and refers to a defensive maneuver used by wagon trains when stopping for the night.
To better protect their livestock, wives and children, the weary travelers would form a circle with their wagons, creating a barrier from wandering varmits in the night. Only the men-folk stayed along the outer perimeter. Family members and livestock were placed in the middle for optimal protection. Today, to “circle the wagons” means to confront a problem with a plan or to refute criticism with thoughtful preparation.
Moving forward in time a bit, to 1906, let’s take a gander at the dirty business of coal mining. It was determined after an unspecified quantity of mine explosions that a buildup of carbon monoxide was the culprit in these tragedies. An intelligent engineer, John Haldane, suggested minors use caged canaries for protection in the mines.
You might wonder how the tiny canary was to protect the manly miners. As it turns out, canaries are more sensitive to carbon monoxide than humans. The little chirpers would fall silent when they encountered carbon monoxide and take an unscheduled nap.
When miners saw the birds silent or sleeping, they knew it was time to head to higher ground for safety. Thus, the canaries served as a warning of trouble ahead.
There are numerous ways the phrase may be employed today. A child’s progress reports in school can be seen as a “canary in the coal mine,” warning parents of potential problems with their children’s grades. A dark and ominous cloud in the distance could serve as a canary, warning of an approaching storm.
Fortunately for the canaries, they were replaced in the 1980s by electronic devices that now warn miners of dangerous carbon monoxide levels. Breathing all that crud certainly gave the birds a “hitch in their giddy up,” but their efforts certainly helped a lot of miners “circle their wagons” and get home safely.