history of the phrase ‘(but) some — are more equal than others’
USA—from 1848 onwards in contrast to ‘all men are equal’—now often alludes to ‘but some animals are more equal than others’ in Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945)
Read More“ad fontes!”
USA—from 1848 onwards in contrast to ‘all men are equal’—now often alludes to ‘but some animals are more equal than others’ in Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945)
Read MoreUSA, 1939—road to success or happiness—from the road paved with yellow brick in Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz
Read More1950, Broadway slang, pejorative—a wealthy man who, in return for their company, lavished money on showbusiness people and those mixing with them
Read MoreUSA, 1933—a famous invitation to sexual dalliance—alteration of ‘come up sometime and see me’, uttered by Mae West in the 1933 film ‘She Done Him Wrong’
Read More1999—a cold as experienced by a man who is regarded as exaggerating the severity of the symptoms—popularised by British magazine Nuts in 2006
Read MoreUK, 1939—characteristic of, or similar in spirit to, the films of the Italian-born American film director Frank Capra (1897-1991)
Read More1934—pompous, reactionary type of person—from the cartoon character (a pompous retired British army officer voicing a hatred of new ideas) created by David Low
Read MoreUSA, 1971—in dramatically changed circumstances—said by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939) when realising she has been transported from Kansas to the land of Oz
Read MoreUSA 2005—a pessimistic or negative person—popularised, if not introduced, by the character of Debbie Downer in the U.S. television variety series Saturday Night Live
Read Morewhen there were consecutive screenings of a film, spectators could start watching at any point and stay on to watch the first part on the next showing
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