[Lexicog] "It ain't over til' the fat lady sings"

[Fritz Goerling]

Well, John,

 

I have to admit that I heard this idiom the first time just recently in
connection with the most interesting fight among the Democratic candidates
for the American presidency which I follow with rapt attention. I agree with
your assessment.

Here is another saying of the same kind from soccer, a sport you like as
well. Sepp Herberger, the coach of the German team that won the world
championship in Bern in 1954 always said "the ball is round" which means
"the game is over after 90 minutes (not before)."

 

Greetings,

Fritz

 



Fritz Goerling wrote: 

Thanks, Margaret, 

  

I believe your explanation more than the one attributing this saying to
German operas of the Richard Wagner kind ("The Ring") where the heavy
Valkyrie heroine Brunhilde sings the last song.


Hi Fritz,

I was flying home from Thailand on Saturday and reading the Herald Tribune
which I got on the flight. In it was a cartoon featuring Hilary Clinton. In
the first box Hilary Clinton was saying, "It ain't over 'til the fat lady
sings" and in the second box they had the heavy Valkyrie heroine Brunhilde
singing behind Clinton. I guess it's over. :-)

John Roberts



 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lexicography/attachments/20080512/7ca3b460/attachment.htm>