I'm gonna guess it's the former explanation, because any time I've been near a goose it doesn't seem very harmless or pure. The second source is that the goose was the emblem for a vain or silly man in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Another is that the goose in Egyptian hieroglyphics was the emblem for a silly man (though whether this would survive to live on in English I don’t know). I thought it was a clarifier; most geese are known to present aggressively, so you're referencing an anomaly. But considering the already existing sexual connotations; I'd guess that the location of delivery has more to do with it. It occurred to me that that may be the original phrase, and came more from the assonance in English between “stupid” and “goose” than from any particular derision toward geese vs other birds. Festival of Sacrifice: The Past and Present of the Islamic Holiday of Eid al-Adha. To cook one's goose first attested 1845, of unknown origin; attempts to connect it to Swedish history and Greek fables are unconvincing. GOOSE or GEESE - "A foolish or ignorant person is called a goose because of the alleged stupidity of this bird." New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Discussing the origins of words and phrases, in English or any other language. The Portal for Public History I've read that geese were assumed to be dumb and foolish due to their gait thus "silly goose" is a dumb silly person (although the only source that seems to support this is "Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable"). Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. So ultimately this boils down to the perception of geese as being stupid and representing foolishness. 1. Basically the “silly” is kind of redundant in the phrase, as a goose was considered foolish (for reason’s unknown) anyway. "Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable" revised by Adrian Room (HarperCollinsPublishers, New York, 1999, Sixteenth Edition). The expression “silly goose” refers to a person who acts in a childish, foolish but somewhat comical way. This term originates from several sources. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I understand 'to goose' to be grabbing an ass cheek. Fact Check: What Power Does the President Really Have Over State Governors? Silly came to be used to describe animals in the 17th century, and the meaning shaded to “weak” or “feeble”. The fourth source comes from the fact that male geese often overreact to perceived competition from other males. As to the sense evolution, the tail end commentary of https://www.etymonline.com/word/silly#etymonline_v_23518 is on target. One source is their ungainly, waddling walk, which makes them look clumsy when on land, despite their grace in the water. They panic easily, are in a constant uproar, they're dumb and goofy. (Dialogue between witch and children). The perception of geese as being particularly stupid and emblematic of foolishness has four possible sources. I'm not sure when it came to be used as it is now, but the affectionate term had a different use once. After they do this a couple of times their goose is cooked. The entry in the Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable states, “A foolish or ignorant person is called a goose because of the alleged stupidity of this bird." By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Does anyone have any insight into this or can point me in the right direction? I've read that "silly" used to be "seely" which meant "harmless or pure" after the 13th century and was often applied to animals, but then it's unclear how "pure and innocent goose" came to mean a airheaded goof. Bonus question: I'm pretty sure there is next to no info on this since it is such an unknown slang term and I've been unable to find anything, but if anyone can tell me the origin of the verb "to goose" (to poke someone between the asscheeks), that would also be super interesting. I wonder if that predates “silly goose” and teachers/parents/etc evolved to use silly instead of stupid to avoid use of the harsher adjective with small children. In saying that, I am not sure, or willing to find a citation; happy to be corrected. Basically the “silly” is kind of redundant in the phrase, as a goose was considered foolish (for reason’s unknown) anyway. The goose that lays golden eggs (15c.) Again another sub could probably tell you more. Those silly bastards are out for blood. If their mates come too close to another male, the angry goose will stand in between them, comically waggling its wings and making hissing sounds to deter his rival. In this case, calling one a 'silly goose' would extrapolate to, "You're unusual, possibly judgementally-impaired, but not in a way I find detrimental to anyone but yourself so I'll make an light-hearted offhand comment, rather than a direct and serious criticism.".

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