The Language of Love
Have you ever been head over heels for someone? Idioms are those phrases the we use all the time – but where do they come from and what do they actually mean?
Whilst some idioms are relatively self-explanatory, others are a mystery. English is riddled with sayings that relate to relationships and romance. So in honour or wedding season, to visualise some of the more whimsical and treasured sayings, these illustrations below bring the confusing language of love to life.
So, why do we ask for someone’s hand in marriage, and not their heart?
In the past, a suitor would ask for the bride’s hand in marriage knowing he would get a large sum of money, or a land dowry, along with the promise of his new bride. The term comes from when the deal was ultimately sealed at the altar; when the father would hand over his daughter to her new ‘owner’.
The popular phrase getting hitched originated in America in the late 1500s to the early 1600s and was used to describe tying horses to wagons. It was later used to describe two people getting married as it was like two people being tied together – just as a horse is tied to a wagon.
Falling in love is another favourite wedding related phrase. The word ‘fall’ is used in the expression to convey the sense that starting to love someone is something unexpected and unplanned, just as falling is unexpected and unplanned.
Declarations of love throughout time have been etched into history with romantic remarks that carry thousands of years of tradition. How many of these love idioms have you heard? You can find the full list of idioms, their meanings and their origins at hitched.co.uk,
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