Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Head Over Heels

Head Over HeelsAs I was talking to my leo the other day, he said "Sara, am head over heels in luv with you! no wait! heels over head! cuz literally head over heels is correct!"
anyhow, I did a little search, and this is what I found about the phrase "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:

9 Comments:

Blogger The Solar Alchemist said...

Shot gun

cool thinks for the heads up I didn't know that the phrase was that old!!!!
Don't think I'll use it again though :p

6:14 PM  
Blogger Leo. said...

*GASPS*

I DID NO SUCH THING!!

Baby, what happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom.

now you ruined it with all that historical talk..! so damned nerdy!

bas hey, i'll love you anyways! ;)

*Smoochs a flip-top kiss head over heals she goes!*

7:28 PM  
Blogger me said...

nice info bt im more intrested in ur story with ur leo...0ara7a etshawgoon :)...cant u write it n a post ;)

2:32 AM  
Blogger fire alarm said...

u either got a lot of time on ur hand or u must really love that much ..

1:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice blog :).

4:35 PM  
Blogger Black Orchid said...

faj2a t'thakkart the movie head over heels! elli Freddi stars in it. mn zmaaaaaaaaaaaaan 3anno!


i have no idea eash da55al hatha with your post =P

6:48 PM  
Blogger SaRo0Na said...

The Solar Alchemist
kewl! i have shotguns in my comments now!!

LeoMastiC
i'll call u as soon as finish these comments :*

me
i will post something about us inshAllah, but kaman shway, not soon

twix
it's the second choice :$

Kailen
THANX! :D

Black Orchid
i went through the movie as i was searching for the phrase bs didnt see it

11:12 PM  
Blogger zahrat ilma6ba5 said...

awwww that's cute!

wut's "shot gun" ?

4:15 AM  
Blogger Painted Black said...

Sooooooooooo cute...

5:36 PM  

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