I Was Thinking... Not What It Seems

It is said that English is one of the hardest languages to master because there are so many rules and exceptions. Even as a native speaker, I regularly have to look up spellings and question which words to use in the correct context. If that wasn’t bad enough, some words or phrases just lie.
I believe words or phrases should be accurate and portray what they describe. Train tracks are steel rails on which a train tracks along, so it makes sense. A bedroom is a room in your house where there is a bed. A seashore is a place where the sea and the shore meet.
However, not all words or phrases follow this rule. Pineapple is a popular fruit but as a word it is a lie. It is nothing like a pine tree or an apple tree. In fact, it doesn’t even grow on a tree. A grapefruit does not look or taste anything like a grape. Even strawberries give you a false impression. At least blueberries tell the truth.
There are all kinds of words that try and fool us and believe something that isn’t accurate. A cattail grows in low swampy areas and does not resemble the tail of a feline at all. Those with allergies know all about goldenrod, but while the color is yellowish, the plant produces no rods. Even our national symbol is a bit of a misnomer. The proud bald eagle is not bald at all, it has beautiful white feathers covering its head. And I know about bald.
It isn’t just individual words that can be confusing, there are some phrases that don’t give you a true explanation either. Take for instance, bathroom towels. I’m not talking about the ones you use to wipe your hands on after you wash. I’m referring to the ones that hang on the towel rack over the toilet. While they may look like towels and are made of much the same type of materials, they aren’t really towels. Any man who has used them to dry wet hands will soon find out they aren’t to be used; they are decorations. Another item found in many houses is something called fine China. While they seem like dishes and are stored with the dishes, they really aren’t dishes because they probably will never touch food. They are items that are passed down from generation to generation and are stored with reverence but are never used.
Some words may have made sense at one time but have lost their meaning over the years. Take for instance, potluck. When food was prepared in a big pot hung over an open fire, a multitude of ingredients may get thrown into the pot, so you were lucky if what came out was eatable. But now it refers to a meal where everyone brings a dish to pass and without really trying, it usually turns out to be a great meal. A less desirable “pot” word is pothole. The hole part is quite accurate but where did the “pot” part come from?
When I was growing up many homes had coffee tables in their living rooms. These were low tables placed in front of the couch. They were considered essential elements for a properly attired home. But dare the person to ever put a cup of coffee on it. That would leave a ring or scratch the perfectly manicured surface. While they were just the right height and distance from the couch to rest your feet, that could result with a threat of death. Luckily, their necessity has diminished as styles changed.
If you don’t think there is a problem, try to explain to somebody that did not grow up in America that these words or phrases really don’t mean what they say — working vacation, plastic glasses, life insurance, double crosser, black ball, original copy, tin foil, shortstop, tied up, big wig, or green thumb.
 
Did You Ever Wonder? — Why is it called “lipstick” if you can still move your lips?