Comments on: Under the bus, to throw http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:32:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: admin http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-45008 admin Mon, 29 Oct 2012 06:11:29 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-45008 "For example, during the Vietnam war, villagers would throw their infants in front of the advancing American vehicles to slow their advance into a village or town." Would you happen to have a credible citation for this, i.e., something not endorsed by Chuck Norris or the like? Because otherwise it reads like racist tripe. “For example, during the Vietnam war, villagers would throw their infants in front of the advancing American vehicles to slow their advance into a village or town.”

Would you happen to have a credible citation for this, i.e., something not endorsed by Chuck Norris or the like? Because otherwise it reads like racist tripe.

]]> By: Mike http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-45006 Mike Mon, 29 Oct 2012 05:45:49 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-45006 The first time I ever heard this phrase was on the 2004 VH-1 reality show "The Surreal Life". Vanilla Ice used the phrase to describe feeling betrayed by his housemates, and his housemates afterwards said in the solo interviews that they had no idea what he meant by the phrase or what bus he was talking about. So I think that must have been right around the cusp of when the phrase was entering common usage. The first time I ever heard this phrase was on the 2004 VH-1 reality show “The Surreal Life”. Vanilla Ice used the phrase to describe feeling betrayed by his housemates, and his housemates afterwards said in the solo interviews that they had no idea what he meant by the phrase or what bus he was talking about. So I think that must have been right around the cusp of when the phrase was entering common usage.

]]> By: Virginia http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-44989 Virginia Sun, 28 Oct 2012 14:42:39 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-44989 Well I'm sure your never heard this quote before the bus come into existance. Well I’m sure your never heard this quote before the bus come into existance.

]]> By: Steebo http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-44805 Steebo Thu, 25 Oct 2012 01:01:41 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-44805 The concept is ancient. The phrase has been adapted. This type of action often occurred in warfare. For example, during the Vietnam war, villagers would throw their infants in front of the advancing American vehicles to slow their advance into a village or town. It worked at first, but when the Americans began to suffer losses while trying to avoid killing the children, they were ordered to keep rolling and continue the mission. This phrase has subsequently come to represent the sacrifice of a weak or wounded individual to slow the advance, preoccupy, or change the direction of an opponent while a defense or counter attack is being mounted. The concept is ancient. The phrase has been adapted. This type of action often occurred in warfare. For example, during the Vietnam war, villagers would throw their infants in front of the advancing American vehicles to slow their advance into a village or town. It worked at first, but when the Americans began to suffer losses while trying to avoid killing the children, they were ordered to keep rolling and continue the mission. This phrase has subsequently come to represent the sacrifice of a weak or wounded individual to slow the advance, preoccupy, or change the direction of an opponent while a defense or counter attack is being mounted.

]]> By: Roger Bullard http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-42485 Roger Bullard Thu, 23 Aug 2012 11:43:13 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-42485 There's an old Scottish ditty: You canna shove your granny off a bus, You canna shove your granny off a bus You canna shove your granny, Because she's your mammies mammy, You canna shove your granny off a bus. But I have no idea how old it is or whether it has anything to do with the current usage. There’s an old Scottish ditty:

You canna shove your granny off a bus,
You canna shove your granny off a bus
You canna shove your granny,
Because she’s your mammies mammy,
You canna shove your granny off a bus.

But I have no idea how old it is or whether it has anything to do with the current usage.

]]> By: Dave Reed http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-38306 Dave Reed Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:35:58 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-38306 I lived in England in the late 1980s and the phrase was in common use there at that time. It's one of many that has since crossed the Atlantic - e.g., "at the end of the day," "don't get your knickers/panties in a twist," "c.v.," "DIY," "one-off," "to slag (someone) off," etc. I lived in England in the late 1980s and the phrase was in common use there at that time. It’s one of many that has since crossed the Atlantic – e.g., “at the end of the day,” “don’t get your knickers/panties in a twist,” “c.v.,” “DIY,” “one-off,” “to slag (someone) off,” etc.

]]> By: james http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-35095 james Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:45:33 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-35095 Thrown under the bus has a negative conation of discarding and destroying a person for their own selfish reasons. But a I think a more ominoushe phrase is thrown under the train. A running train could damage a person worse than a bus. Thrown under the bus has a negative conation of discarding and destroying a person for their own selfish reasons.
But a I think a more ominoushe phrase is thrown under the train. A running train could damage a person worse than a bus.

]]> By: Tom http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-34012 Tom Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:47:19 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-34012 I think maybe the person who mentions Juggernaut might be even closer than they think. Juggernaut is an anglicized word for Jagann?tha the extremely large wheeled car used in Hindu ceremonies. The are a number of apocryphal stories going back centuries of people being sacrificed by being tossed under the Juggernaut. I found a number of references going back to the 1890s of people being "thrown under the Juggernaut of X" Implying their sacrifice to some unstoppable movement. A bus may just be the closest massive wheeled vehicle at hand to a modern western person. I think maybe the person who mentions Juggernaut might be even closer than they think. Juggernaut is an anglicized word for Jagann?tha the extremely large wheeled car used in Hindu ceremonies. The are a number of apocryphal stories going back centuries of people being sacrificed by being tossed under the Juggernaut. I found a number of references going back to the 1890s of people being “thrown under the Juggernaut of X” Implying their sacrifice to some unstoppable movement. A bus may just be the closest massive wheeled vehicle at hand to a modern western person.

]]> By: Dinku Bato http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-33741 Dinku Bato Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:41:35 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-33741 Inferences as to the origin of this idiom can be made in relation to the Jonah story in the Scriptures who was thrown into the sea to save the ship and the passengers. Hence, "throw someone under the bus" to refer to an instance of someone sacrificed to keep a bus that lost its breaks ((in the old days of mechanical imprecision) and speeding downhill. Inferences as to the origin of this idiom can be made in relation to the Jonah story in the Scriptures who was thrown into the sea to save the ship and the passengers. Hence, “throw someone under the bus” to refer to an instance of someone sacrificed to keep a bus that lost its breaks ((in the old days of mechanical imprecision) and speeding downhill.

]]> By: Steve http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-27375 Steve Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:03:48 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-27375 I worked at a restaurant called Casa Bonita in Colorado in the mid 80s that was used by tour companies and it was not uncommon to see 10-20 or more bus loads of tourists in a day. From time to time a late tour would call ahead and ask us to keep the restaurant open. Needless to say this did not make night shift employees very happy. In the summer of either 1985 or 1986 a group of employees who regularly met for a beers after work were discussing the practice and decided that keeping the restaurant open for late tours was just like throwing all of the employees under the bus. From that night forward, it was common to hear Casa Bonita employees talk about being “under the bus” or being “thrown under the bus”. Being “Thrown under the bus” had the similar meaning as it does now. Being “under the bus” meant to be behind and struggling to catch up. I worked at a restaurant called Casa Bonita in Colorado in the mid 80s that was used by tour companies and it was not uncommon to see 10-20 or more bus loads of tourists in a day. From time to time a late tour would call ahead and ask us to keep the restaurant open. Needless to say this did not make night shift employees very happy. In the summer of either 1985 or 1986 a group of employees who regularly met for a beers after work were discussing the practice and decided that keeping the restaurant open for late tours was just like throwing all of the employees under the bus. From that night forward, it was common to hear Casa Bonita employees talk about being “under the bus” or being “thrown under the bus”. Being “Thrown under the bus” had the similar meaning as it does now. Being “under the bus” meant to be behind and struggling to catch up.

]]> By: Chris http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-23049 Chris Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:12:14 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-23049 I believe that the term, to throw someone under the bus works in a metaphor as such: The "Bus" being stuck in the mud and the only option to get out is to sacrifice other riders, in order to get out. By throwing them under the bus, they are sacrificed for the gain of the bus to continue on, but at the same time, left behind and unable to continue with the bus. I believe that the term, to throw someone under the bus works in a metaphor as such:

The “Bus” being stuck in the mud and the only option to get out is to sacrifice other riders, in order to get out. By throwing them under the bus, they are sacrificed for the gain of the bus to continue on, but at the same time, left behind and unable to continue with the bus.

]]> By: Dany http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/under-the-bus-to-throw/comment-page-1/#comment-21675 Dany Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:37:15 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/#comment-21675 Dag nabbit good stuff you whippensrappres! Dag nabbit good stuff you whippensrappres!

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