( Wednesday, January 19, 2011 )

Talking Kitchen Appliances

The other day my girlfriend used the expression "The pot calling the kettle black." I had never heard it before. She was aghast. Apparently it's very common. All the kids are using it these days.

So, I'm conducting an informal, non-scientific poll: have you (yes, you) heard the expression before, or is it new to you too? I need to know where I stand.

15 Comments:

Blogger Steph said...

sweet lord! Its been around FOREV-A!!

10:44 PM  
Blogger Miss Ruth said...

Both me and Mandy have heard it. Jeez Kiki where have you been?

11:57 PM  
Blogger the Stewart said...

This is fascinating. I was SURE that if I hadn't heard it, my own flesh and blood wouldn't have either. I just assumed it was one of those crazy "Newfie" things...

I don't understand how I've missed it! *brain explodes*

12:09 AM  
Blogger Heather said...

I haven't. lol.

1:21 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

"Crazy Newfie things!?" BAH What are you talking about?! Clearly you are the crazy one for not having heard of this very common saying when even 2 of the 4 you were raised with know it, not to mention all your friends. And to think, you with the English major!! :P

6:33 PM  
Blogger Slimbolala said...

Yep, it's a good 'un.

4:19 PM  
Anonymous Geoff Heith said...

....Kyle....you....are....not....very....smart....

5:22 PM  
Blogger unkleE said...

Yep. Millions of times! But I live in Australia. : )

7:52 AM  
Blogger hrmustang said...

your blog is very entertaining!

12:04 PM  
Blogger Mopish Molly said...

It's at least 15 years old and likely much older. I'm not a native English speaker so that's when I heard it first. It's very common in my area of the U.S., and I've heard it used in film dialogue.

8:18 AM  
Blogger Richard Epstein said...

It goes back in English at least to the late 1600s:

"For a Covetous Man to inveigh against Prodigality... is for the Pot to call the Kettle black."
--William Penn

10:51 AM  
Blogger Karma Girl said...

Yep, it's been around for a while now, though I always found it an odd saying with slightly racist overtones.

9:13 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Heard it in Glee tonight!! :P Of course, thought of you!

12:35 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah I'm in North Carolina and I literally use it almost everyday!

9:39 AM  
Blogger RogueGoodGirl said...

Grew up hearing it.

8:06 PM  

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