Animals Article: 

Sayings from the Animal World-What they Really Mean

Written by Edda Bevilacqua

Many popular sayings have been derived from the animal world. These sayings have often been misinterpreted. Their original meaning was something quite different. 

Barking up the wrong tree: This saying is commonly thought to be about making a mistake. The real meaning refers to hunting dogs barking at the base of a tree, where they think their prey is located when, in fact, their prey has moved on to a different tree. Barking up the wrong tree is not simply about making a mistake but about pursuing a wrong course of action with confidence.

Curiosity killed the cat: The full saying is “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.” It was thought that asking too many questions led to trouble but, once the question is answered, it can be satisfying to gain new knowledge. Asking questions is an important part of learning.

Let the cat out of the bag:  Today, this saying means “revealing a secret.” In Medieval times, it referred to deceit. In Medieval marketplaces, they sold a “pig in a poke,” a bag that supposedly contained a piglet but instead, had a cat. When the cat was let out of the bag, the deception was revealed.

The animal world has provided us with many interesting sayings whose meanings have changed over time. These sayings teach us many important lessons about language and life.