[Ads-l] Catchphrase Origin: Would a duck swim?

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Sorry, I posted on the wrong discussion thread. This is a repeat
message on the correct thread.
Here are some earlier citations for the Sarcastic Interrogative
Affirmative phrase "Will a duck swim?" which I plan to post on the
Quote Investigator website within a week or two.

[ref] 1680, Title: The History and Fall of Caius Marius: A Tragedy, As
It Is Acted at the Duke's Theatre, Author: Thomas Otway, Scene:
Metellus house, Quote Page 33, Publisher: Printed for Tho. Flesher, at
the Angel and Crown in S. Paul's Church-yard, London. (ProQuest; EEBO
Early English Books Online) [/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
Lavin. Nay, prithee be not angry, Nurse; I meant No ill. Speak kindly,
will my Marius come?

Nurse. Will he? will a Duck swim?

Lavin. Then he will come.

Nurse. Come? why, he will come upon all four, but he'll come. Go, get
you in, and say your Prayers: go.
[End excerpt]

The excerpt below might have appeared in a pamphlet earlier, but I
have not been able to find the pamphlet.

[ref] 1787, Strictures in Vindication of Some of the Doctrines
Misrepresented by Mr. Foot in His Two Pamphlets by T. Brand (Thomas
Brand) (Member of the Corporation of Surgeons, London, and Surgeon
Extraordinary to his Majesty's Royal Hospital at Greenwich, Quote Page
47, Printed for G. Nicol, Bookseller to his Majesty, London. (Google
Books Full View) link [/ref]

https://books.google.com/books?id=YXlZAAAAcAAJ&q=%22duck+swim%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
"For example, (says Mr. Foot, p. 13) if one of his domestics were
asked whether the professor was not a great anatomist? The answer in
all probability would be, can a duck swim! But if the same domestic
were asked if he be a learned writer, and a man of great judgment?
There this very proverb would fail in the application, it would stick
in his throat, for it would not confirm him in these excellencies."
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Fri, Nov 7, 2025 at 12:35 AM ADSGarson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> "Green's Dictionary of Slang" has an entry for sarcastic
> interrogatives (Charles Doyle's term). Examples:
>
> Would a duck swim?
> Does a bird have wings?
> Do sheep wear sweaters?
> Is the Pope a Catholic?
>
> Here is a link:
> https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/6dklozy
>
> The first two citations in Green's entry are bracketed, and the third
> is dated 1894.
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> [1823 [US] J.F. Cooper Pilot (1824) II 167: 'Could you find the place
> where you put the marines in ambush, Captain Manual?' 'Has a dog a
> nose! and can he follow a clean scent!' exclaimed the marine].
>
> [1864 [UK] G.A. Sala Quite Alone III 102: 'Tom Tuttleshell will be one
> of us. You know Tom?' 'Do I know my grandmother? [...] Monsieur
> Tuttleshell and I are friends - business friends - of some
> standing.'].
>
> 1894 [Aus] Truth (Sydney) 15 Apr. 4/8: Would a duck swim? Would the
> wild ass [...] go for a feed of thistles?
> [End excerpt]
>
> I think the 1823 citation is bracketed because the statement "Has a
> dog a nose!" only occurs in James Fenimore Cooper's story (according
> to a search in Google Books). Also, Cooper's full statement is more
> complex: "Has a dog a nose! and can he follow a clean scent!"
>
> I was able to find "Would a duck swim?" with the desired sense in
> 1833. This phrase occurs in multiple stories.
>
> [ref] 1833 April 20, The Irish Penny Magazine, The Sportheen by M.R.,
> Start Page 126, Quote Page 127, Thomas and John Coldwell, Dublin,
> Ireland. (Google Books Full View) link [/ref]
>
> https://books.google.com/books?id=NTUFAAAAQAAJ&q=%22duck+swim%22#v=snippet&
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> "Well, Katty repated the words -- 'will you do my sisther the honor ov
> dancin' wid hur?'
> "'Would a duck swim?' ses Mick smirkin', 'especially wid beauty for
> his iliment! ha! ha! ha! Eh, mother, won't that settle their hash?'
> [End excerpt]
>
> I do not know whether there exist earlier citations for sarcastic
> interrogatives that achieved significant circulation.
>
> Garson

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