Is there such a thing?
Have you ever experienced Good Grief?
I use the term when shocked by something or someone that comes totally out of the blue.
Not the term I use for shock horror incidents but Good Grief is a common one. Maybe it came about because there is no such thing as good grief and it is used when something happens that cannot or should not be happening or possible?
Something biblical perhaps?
I often use the term âGood Griefâ when surprised about a happenstance that turns up unexpectedly.
I also use the term âHoly Molyâ for the same events.
In Greek mythology-----
Hermes gives Odysseus a powerful plant called moly that is âdifficult for mortal me to dig up; but the gods are able to do everythingâ (Homer 139). The âholy molyâ protected him from Circeâs spell, but she was completely unaware of its presence so she thought that he had a âmind ⊠which cannot be charmedâ (Homer 140).
I assume âGood Grief!â Is a minced oath.
Thereâs a lot of exclamations of surprise or frustration which are minced oaths, used to stop oneself from saying âGood God!â or something similar, which breaks one of the Ten Commandments
âThou shalt not take the Lordâs name in vainâ
I often say âBlimey!â to express surprise.
I didnât realise it had any reference to God until a few years ago, when someone told me it means âGod blind me!â, which was turned into the minced oath âGorblimey!â, then shortened even further to just âBlimey!â
I canât remember where I heard this although I think it might have been during a service in an evangelical church. To say " what on earth" is blasphemy because Godâs feet rest on earth. So now you know!
I canât remember ever saying, âgood grief,â but there again, there are many things I canât remember.
Anyway, whatâs wrong with using that most excellent modern term that all the kids are getting down with, Gadzooks?
Och the noo !!
Bruv⊠innit !