LL-L "Etymology" 2008.06.02 (04) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 02 June 2008 - Volume 04
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From: heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk <heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Technica" 2008.06.01 (04) [E]

From Heather Rendall heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk

Ron wrote: I hope I won't have to eat crow.

????

Is this some ancient germanic expression? Or some new americanism?

Or a 'Ronism'?

I have never heard this before. Does it equate to 'eating humble pie'?

What is / was the 'crow'?

bewildered

Heather

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Hi, Heather!

No Ronism this time.

"To eat crow" is another, legitimate way of saying "to eat humble pie."

For those among us that are not familiar with either of these, they mean
something like "to be humiliated by having to admit that one's strong
opinion or position turns out to be wrong."

Interestingly, according to various sources, neither "humble" now "crow" in
this context originally meant what they seem to mean now.

"Humble" comes from "umble" (Middle English usually plural *vmblis*, *omblys
*, *omylys*) 'innards of an animal (usually deer)'. I believe it is derived
from Middle French *nombles* denoting various cuts of meat. Indeed, "numble
pie" is a variant of "humble pie."

"Crow" is related to Middle German *kros* or *krös* (Modern German *Gekröse*)
and to Dutch *kroos(t)*, both 'mesentary', as well as Dutch
*kroos*'giblets', related also to Low Saxon
*Krage* 'mesentary'. I am fairly confident that it is related to English *
craw* (< Old English *craƽa*) 'crop (of a bird)', related to Middle Saxon *
krage*, Old German *chrago*, Danish *krave*, Old Norse *krage*, all 'throat'
or 'neck'. Furthermore, I believe that this is related to Low Saxon and
German *Kragen* 'collar'. In cooking, "crow" came to stand for "minor, cheap
cuts," mostly innards.

So while it seems to be true that "to eat crow" is mostly or only used in
North American English it may well have come from Britain. But then again,
it seems possible that "crow" in the said sense was still in use in early
colonial North America.

I used to use the phrase "to eat humble pie" before I settled in in the US.
But being a bit of a linguistic chameleon and also tired of getting weird
looks when I say "quaint alienisms" (though these can have sex appeal in
Europhile and Australophile US circles) I have switched to the "crow"
variant.

So there you are, dear Heather.

Umbly yours,
Reinhard/Ron
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