女
生英语冷知识：What does "the cat's pajamas" really mean?
If you heard someone refer to themselves or someone else as "the cat's pajamas," you might think it's a strange compliment. But did you ever wonder where this phrase comes from and what it really means?
In the 1920s, a time in American history known as the Roaring Twenties, there was a fascination with everything that was new and modern, especially in slang and fashion. One trend that emerged was using animal-related phrases to describe something that was cool or impressive. Expressions like "the bee's knees" and "the cat's meow" were born in this era.
But how did "the cat's pajamas" come about? It all started with a man named E.B. White, who later became famous for his children's book "Charlotte's Web." In 1923, White was a young reporter for The New Yorker magazine, and he was given an assignment to write a humorous piece about the latest slang.
White went to a party of young people and asked them what new idioms they were using. One of them replied, "the cat's pajamas." White thought it was funny, and he used it in his article as an example of the silly phrases people were using. Little did he know that he was contributing to the birth of a popular expression.
So, what does "the cat's pajamas" actually mean in modern English? It's an informal way of saying that someone or something is really great or awesome, worthy of admiration or praise. It's often used in a playful or ironic way to convey enthusiasm or affection. For example, "Wow, that dress is the cat's pajamas! You look amazing!" or "I just got promoted at work. I'm feeling like the cat's pajamas right now."
Interestingly, the phrase seems to have lost its popularity in American English, but it's still commonly used in British English, especially among older generations. In fact, the Oxford English Dictionary credits "the cat's pajamas" as a British slang term from the 1920s, even though it originated in America.
In conclusion, "the cat's pajamas" may be a whimsical phrase that began as a joke, but it has found its way into the lexicon of English slang and become a part of the pop culture of the 1920s. It's a reminder of how language can evolve and reflect the changing social attitudes and trends of a particular era. So next time you hear someone say "the cat's pajamas," you'll know what they really mean.
