How To Speak Idahoan: 6 Phrases That Only Make Sense In Idaho

The origin of what we say and hear every day fascinates me. There was even a show on the History Channel investigating the origin of some of the most common phrases called, "America's Secret Slang." Unfortunately, the show only lasted two seasons, probably because of the terrible name it was given.

The original uses of many words and phrases have changed over the years. Most of us can remember when the words "sick," "bad," "wicked," and "beast" meant something negative. Now, these words are used in a positive way. The strangest example of this shift over time is "ladies first." When many Treasure Valley men and women arrive at a door simultaneously, the man often says, "Ladies first," and allows the woman to enter first. However, the actual origin of the phrase isn't so chivalrous. In ancient times, when a man would hear a noise outside their cave, they would send a woman out first. If the woman was attacked, the man would have a more advantageous position to attack from behind.

We grew up with many phrases that have been used for years; it's just that the situations in which we use them have changed. Some examples include "Turn a blind eye," which dates back to the early 1800s when a British naval commander whose superior officer signaled to him to withdraw said he didn't see the order because he had the telescope on his blind eye. They instead continued to fight to victory.

You may have to "bite the bullet" and do something you don't want to do these days, but the phrase comes from when doctors were short on anesthesia during battle. They would tell their patients to bite down on a bullet to distract them from the pain.

Sometimes, to complete a task, you have to go "the whole nine yards." That phrase came from World War II when a Vickers gun had a nine-yard magazine bullet belt. In a bad situation, soldiers may need to use the whole nine yards of ammunition.

Idaho has its own phrases and slang appropriate only in Idaho or with people from the Gem State. Here are six examples.