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.
1 Like
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?
3 Likes
Something biblical perhaps?
1 Like
I often use the term “Good Grief” when surprised about a happenstance that turns up unexpectedly.
I also use the term “Holy Moly” for the same events.
In Greek mythology-----
Hermes gives Odysseus a powerful plant called moly that is “difficult for mortal me to dig up; but the gods are able to do everything” (Homer 139). The ‘holy moly’ protected him from Circe’s spell, but she was completely unaware of its presence so she thought that he had a “mind … which cannot be charmed” (Homer 140).
3 Likes
I assume “Good Grief!” Is a minced oath.
There’s a lot of exclamations of surprise or frustration which are minced oaths, used to stop oneself from saying “Good God!” or something similar, which breaks one of the Ten Commandments
“Thou shalt not take the Lord’s name in vain”
I often say “Blimey!” to express surprise.
I didn’t realise it had any reference to God until a few years ago, when someone told me it means “God blind me!”, which was turned into the minced oath “Gorblimey!”, then shortened even further to just “Blimey!”
4 Likes
I can’t 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 God’s feet rest on earth. So now you know!
2 Likes
I can’t remember ever saying, “good grief,” but there again, there are many things I can’t remember.
Anyway, what’s wrong with using that most excellent modern term that all the kids are getting down with, Gadzooks?
1 Like
Och the noo !!
2 Likes
Bruv… innit !
1 Like