"falling" pregnant

[Jaid79]

In the US you slip someone a mickey to knock them out.
Here you slip them a mickey and knock them up!

Must be a very big Mickey to knock someone out

Jaid

 

[casiopea]

My own favourite, courtesy of my sisters-in-law, is 'it's freezing, shut the window on the child!'

They also say to 'fall' (or 'be left') pregnant in other languages — well, the Romance languages, anyway. And the word 'pregnant' in Spanish is [broken link removed], in the sense of laden/charged/weighed down; it can sometimes also mean 'hampered', or 'hindered'. Cheerful stuff! I wonder if this has to do with the Catholic culture in which these languages evolved?

Interesting - in latin its "gravida" and has a similar implication to the spanish word of being weighed down/burdened. However in Italian its "incinta". Im not too sure which of the 3 were most used in the Catholic culture - I would assume the latin? But its very interesting that all 3 words are quite different when latin/Italian/Spanish usually use very similar words.


I have never heard "falling pregnant" actually spoken, it seems to have disappeared somewhat. I think the use of the verb fall in fallen pregnant and falling in love is a reflection of the lack of emotional control in both. Both situations could be compared to be sick. Emotionally youve fallen out of control. In love some people cant eat or sleep; he says hi, you walk into a pillar. In pregnancy some woman cant stop eating or sleeping; he says hi you burst into tears.

Flippancy aside I think while, old fashioned, its actually quite an apt description.