I have seen this phrase in reference to Apple, a politician was accused of being sexist when using it, and many businesses use it in their daily vernacular. I have done my best to find the true origin, but have come up short. Anyone know who originally said this?
2007-06-25 10:01:43 · 3 answers · asked by Ryan C 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
Did a quick search and didn't come up with anything useful or annotatable. Sorry...
Maybe try emailing William Safire at the New York Times Magazine who does the "On Language" op-ed piece every week. He is good and given the recent relevance, maybe it would make a good column!
2007-06-25 10:16:22 · answer #1 · answered by PK 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have heard this phrase used when someone interrupts a speaker who then uses the phrase. I don't know the exact origin but I do know that during the reign of Terror in the french Revolution seeing people have their heads cut off by the guillotine was very popular.Women used to sit on the front row busily knitting whilst they watched the executions. No doubt they would shout insults to those who were to die and possibly a brave aristocrat may have shouted back to them using the phrase. Only a theory so don't quote me.
2007-06-25 17:09:55 · answer #2 · answered by quatt47 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm still looking, but I remember Dad jokingly saying this to my Mom one day when she was putting in her two cents about something mechanical. He said "stick to your knitting ma. " We all knew what he meant, and had a good laugh.
Did you find the one under webpage "Dictionary of Management Jargon"? -"Staying with your main lines of business while other lines of business may suffer cutbacks in employees and/or plant and equipment. We can become profitable if we just 'stick to your knitting' (or heritage). Can't find the origin yet!
2007-06-25 17:14:16 · answer #3 · answered by dawnUSA 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋