When I think of apples I think of cool days in October and bobbing for apples on Halloween. But that is only the beginning. Apples are such an important part of life they are omnipresent. Think about it. How many sayings about apples can you just rattle off?
The Most Popular Sayings in English and German
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
There is a phrase in German that says exactly the same thing but it doesn’t rhyme as neatly. The earliest example I found of a similar phrase is from 1866. ‘Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.’ Although it is a similar saying there is something a bit vindictive about it.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
This means important family characteristics are usually inherited. In German you say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree trunk but otherwise it’s exactly the same.
Biblical References
If you are sure of something you might say: as sure as God made little green apples.
Psalm 17:8:’Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the shadow of your wings’.
Of course, everyone knows what an Adam’s apple is. Did Adam actually have an Adam’s apple before Eve gave him an apple? Did it get stuck in his throat? Is that where the description came from?
As far as I know, exactly what kind of fruit Adam ate wasn’t mentioned anywhere in Genesis. It was always just a ‘forbidden fruit’. I believe I read somewhere it could have been a pomegranate, but even that translates into ‘apple hard’. The idea of apples in the Garden of Eden could originate from the Latin word mālum which means apple. The word malum means evil. They look pretty similar to me. It could just be a mix-up. Still, others believe it could have been a grape, fig, wheat or mushroom that Adam ate. I don’t know, I wasn’t there.
The Good Apples, Positive Sayings
‘She’s apples’ is used in Australia and New Zealand. It means she’s good. I have never used that phrase, I would say ‘peaches’ which is sweet, too.
The apple of my eye, ah yes, the love of my life.
The Power to be your Best
That was the ‘Apple’ corporation slogan from 1986. Everyone has heard of Apple computers, Apple iPods, iPads, iPhones, Apple smartwatches, Apple technology. Apple, apple, apple. Apple has become a household word. No, wait. It already was.
The Bad Apples
Apples are generally thought of as good, but there are some negative connotations with apples as well.
Rotten to the core means bad, bad, bad.
Apple of discord. That is something that causes trouble, unhappiness, jealousy or even rivalry.
Don’t upset the apple cart means to spoil a plan or disturb the status quo.
How do you like them apples? Whatever is being referred to will be unwelcome. And, yes, although the grammar is incorrect, that is the way the saying is said.
Comparing apples with oranges is finding the difference between two sort of similar things.
One rotten apple spoils the whole bunch. Or does it? In 1970 Donny Osmond of The Osmond Brothers didn’t seem to think so. By the way, great video, it looks like a band of Elvis’ singing.
Where are you Going
Most everyone knows that the ‘Big Apple’ is NYC. It appears that the origin of the name stems from the 1909 book by Edward S. Martin ‘The Wayfarer in New York’. Wait, if New York City is the ‘Big Apple’ does that make Minneapolis Minnesota the ‘Mini Apple’?
The Swiss Apple
Of course, Wilhelm Tell. The legend goes that Tell refused to bow to a pole with a hat on it. Because of that he was ordered to shoot an apple off his son’s head with his crossbow. If successful he would be freed, if not, both he and his son would be killed. I don’t want to be a story spoiler, but the story ends happily.
The Swiss Connection
Everyone knows when something is American, it’s as American as apple pie. In the 1970’s this commercial jingle was on everyone’s lips. The thing is, Chevrolet was founded by the Swiss born race car driver Louis Chevrolet.
Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet. That’s an earworm for sure.
Encouraging Quotes
‘Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.’ Martin Luther
If you want apples you have to shake the tree.
Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb because that’s where the fruit is.
Once, after hiking, when Ben and I were waiting at a train station we heard a rather loud crunch behind us. We turned around to see another hiker who had just taken a big bite into an apple. I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone eat an apple so loudly. Oh, right, I almost forgot to say that apples are pretty good to eat, too.
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