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

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

While preparing an article for the Quote Investigator website I
discovered that researcher Pascal Tréguer has an entry for "Will a
duck swim" on his "Word Histories" website. Pascal found the 1680
citation and published it last year.
https://wordhistories.net/2024/10/08/will-duck-swim/

Researcher Jonathon Green also examined this catchphrase, and "Green’s
Dictionary of Slang" contains a helpful entry with citations beginning
in 1808.
https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/cbmc6ba#3uapnzi

Here is a link to the new QI article. Pascal Tréguer, Jonathon Green,
and Nigel Rees are acknowledged.
Catchphrase Origin: Can a Duck Swim?
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2025/11/14/duck-swim/

Garson

On Tue, Nov 11, 2025 at 12:59 AM ADSGarson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 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]
>

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