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

[Margaret Marks]

2008/5/8 Fritz Goerling <Fritz_Goerling at sil.org>:
> Recently I came across the expression "It ain't over til' the fat lady
>  sings."
>  I was interested in finding out where the expression comes from. Who is the
>  fat lady?
>  I found different contradictory explanations about the origin (opera,
>  church, sports; Southern expression).
>

Hi Fritz,

This is actually an old British saying, and not many people know its
origin. It is based on the life of Queen Victoria. Although she
survived her German husband for many years, and mourned him for a long
time, she eventually realized she was better off without him and is
reported to have sung on her deathbed. I think her son was even older
than Prince Charles when he became king, so he had to wait a long time
for her to die.

Regards

Margaret Marks

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