“Don't pretend to be a hose!” In youth, quite often you can hear a similar phrase. Have you ever wondered where this expression comes from? The use of youth jargon in speech makes one draw attention to oneself and involuntarily causes a smile. So, let's take a closer look at what the expression “pretend to be a hose” means.
The appearance of the expression and its interpretation
It is in this form that the expression can be found in jokes. Who invented it is not known for certain. The people are all that can be said for sure. There is an old joke, which is considered the "founder" of the phrase. It is about a cunning snake, which in order to avoid personal inconvenience pretended to be a hose. I would like to mention one more anecdote, whose character will appear in our article. The offended Princess Frog says: “You, Ivan, how to kiss is so prince, and how to get married is so foolish!” With a great deal of humor, we approached the main question of this material - where did the expression “pretend to be a hose” came from in our lives.
So, this is a certain psychological tactic, which many characters of literature, fairy tales resort to, and what can I say - real people too. Each of us at least once tried on this role. At the same time (character, person) wants to show himself a harmless fool, hiding his true intellectual abilities in every way. The most striking fairy-tale character is Ivan Tsarevich, who is also Ivan the Fool. No less charismatic is the character of Prince Hamlet. As an option, today one can single out such images of real people as a visiting provincial, a funny foreign tourist, and an equally popular unemployed rich man.
The second question that begs itself: why a hose? Understanding the use of such a “term” is not difficult. A hose is a certain channel with a cavity inside, that is, in other words - it is empty. Yes, his task is to let something pass through him, but as a result, no matter what happens in him, nothing will be delayed for a long time. Here is such a subtle note!
As two drops of water
There are several stable phraseological turns, the meaning of which is related to the expression "pretend to be a hose." So, "my hut is on the edge" and "not our bell, even about its corner." In colloquial speech, these expressions can mean the following: "it does not concern me, it is not my business."
Even if not in this form, our expression was used in a speech even under Peter I: “The subordinate in the face of the rulers must look dashing and silly, so as not to embarrass the authorities with his mind”.
Finally
In conclusion, summing up the above, I would like to note that people who use the tactics of the “hose”, that is, the “smart fool”, are quite common. Another question is why and why do they do it? There may be several reasons: to test the knowledge of, say, a subordinate or as a defense of an overly vulnerable person, and sometimes the reason becomes banal indifference. People will always pretend to be a hose, whether the world likes it or not, but thanks to this ability, many solve their problems without resorting to straightforward actions, which, as you know, are far from always appropriate and effective. Is this right? Everyone has their own answer.