What's An Idiom Between Friends?

 

An idiom is a phrase, saying or a group of words with a metaphorical [not a literal] meaning which has become accepted in common use. An idiom’s symbolic sense is quite different from the literal meaning or definition of the words used. It is estimated that there are around 25,000 idiomatic expressions in the English language.

Idioms, in fact, help to evolve a language, making it more intense, exciting and dynamic. They provide, or add, considerable illustration to ordinary speech, making everyday language more colourful and often, insightful. Native speakers usually use idiomatic phrases with which they are familiar, without consideration, rather like cliches. They are familiar but useful aids to express emotion or add

descriptive power. To the non-native speaker however, idioms can be bewildering because the intention of a particular idiom is symbolic and the surface language is often incomprehensible.

The reason for this sudden rush of blood to the head about idioms, is because I recently used
the phrase, ‘beyond the pale’ to a Flemish friend who didn’t understand it. While I had no trouble in explaining what the phrase signified I did not know the derivation of the idiom at all.. Now I do!! AND it is really interesting! The general use of ‘pale’ now is as an adjective meaning whitish/light in colour [cf Procol Harum’s Lighter Shade of Pale!] However, the noun, ‘a pale’ is [or was.] a stake or a pointed piece of wood though this use is obsolete now. A variant of it, ‘paling’ is still in use; we can say, ‘a paling fence’ and the verb ‘impale’ is also 

A paling fence.

current. For our present purpose, the paling fence is significant as the term, ‘pale’ came to mean the area enclosed by such a fence. Later that came to mean, figuratively, ‘ an area that is enclosed and safe.’ SO to be beyond the pale came to mean to be outside the area that was safe, that was accepted as home.

Catherine the Great created the Pale of Settlement in Russia in 1791. This title referred to the area of the western border region of the country in which Jews were allowed to live. Apparently, the motive behind the designation, Pale of Settlement, was to restrict trade between Jews and
native Russians. However, some favoured Jews were allowed to live, as a concession, ‘beyond the Pale,’ where, incidentally, they could be both economically more free but probably, existentially less safe. Pales were enforced in some other European countries for similar political/economic reasons, notably the Pale of Dublin [Ireland] and the Pale of Calais, created as early as 1360. [France]

The Pale of Settlement is the central, pale blue section.

Sir John Harington 1560-16!".

The phrase itself came much later than 1360! The first printed reference was seen in 1657 in John Harington’s lyric poem, ‘The History of Polindor and Flostella’. The character, Orthens, takes his love to a country lodge for ‘quiet calm and ease’ but they later dare to go out and ‘Both Dove-like roved forth beyond the pale to planted Myrtle-walk.’ Alas, the lovers are attacked outside and the message from the poem is clear: ‘ If there IS a pale, good people stay inside it to be safe.’ The poem was published only in 1657 though Harington had died in 1612 so the phrase must have been in use by 1612 if it was his original phrase, or earlier if not. There is no written evidence of earlier usage, i.e. before 1612..

There are no doubt innumerable examples of this phrase in modern use. Obama, in The Audacity of Hope, described certain capital crimes as ‘beyond the pale’ as did Senator Paul Ryan in 2016, when he condemned racist comments by Trump. Now that I write that, I realise that Trump himself is beyond the pale in every respect. This modern usage means ' to be outside the limits of acceptable behaviour' and it is currently a very strong, adverse condemnation of some event, character or opinion.

Catherine the Great who created 
The Pale of Settlement in 1791.