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What's a phrase you misinterpreted the meaning of for the longest time? (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I've seen people using "that's what she said" in a very serious setting, as a way to say "good point/touché". They had no idea it was from the Office.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

There is, indirectly.

"That's what she said," is a descendant of a line that began with "said the actress to the bishop". And that is, according to folklore, a real event in which a named actress (I forget her name) asked a real bishop (again, don't know the name anymore) about his "prick" to which the bishop responded that it was "throbbing". (And according to that same folklore the butler, having overheard that upon entering the room, dropped his tray.)

The backstory being that the bishop had been gardening and injured his thumb on a rose. She was asking about the injury.

But that is supposedly the beginning of the expression "said the actress to the bishop" which is the phrase used in writing for "that's what she said" as far back as the old Charteris "The Saint" novels at least.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I mean in the context of a serious setting where it’s not being used as a joke.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

No, that's just people who don't know what words mean and recited something they didn't understand in an incorrect context.

Rather like people who say things like "for all intensive purposes" or "hunger pains" or "I could care less" or such.