QQuestionEnglish
QuestionEnglish
Is it true that the first recorded use of the phrase "when pigs fly" in print is in the 1616 play The Devil is an Ass by Ben Jonson?
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Answer
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Step 1:To answer this question, I'll break down the research and provide a clear analysis:
Step 2:: Initial Research
The claim suggests that Ben Jonson's 1616 play "The Devil is an Ass" contains the first printed use of the phrase "when pigs fly."
Step 3:: Verification Process
While Ben Jonson's play is an early reference, this claim requires careful historical linguistic verification. Researchers typically look for: - Documented earlier uses - Precise context of the phrase - Linguistic evidence of the idiom's origin
Step 4:: Scholarly Investigation
After consulting linguistic research and historical records, the claim is NOT definitively true. While Jonson's play is an early recorded use, there are: - Potential earlier uses in folklore and oral traditions - Difficulty in precisely tracking the first printed instance - Similar idioms in other languages predating this specific English version
Step 5:: Linguistic Context
The phrase "when pigs fly" is an impossibility idiom, suggesting something will never happen. Such expressions often evolve gradually in spoken language before appearing in print.
Final Answer
While Ben Jonson's 1616 play is an early documented use, it cannot be conclusively proven as the absolute first printed instance of the phrase "when pigs fly." Recommendation: Further historical linguistic research would be needed to definitively establish the phrase's first printed use.
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