"You speak the truth" - what is the meaning of this expression? As a rule, in modern speech it is used with a certain degree of irony. But has it always been like this? What is the source of this phraseological unit? Details about this, as well as about close to it, the well-established phrase "the mouth of a baby speaks the truth" will be described in the article.
Two uses
To figure out what “you speak the truth” means, you should first consider the meaning of the second of its constituent words.
The dictionary says there are two forms of it.
- One of them is bookish, which is rarely used today, it is “to speak”.
- The second is “to speak”. It is labeled “outdated”, “high style”, “sometimes ironic”.
At the same time, the lexical meaning of both words is the same - to speak in general or to express something.
Spelling
Often the question arises: what spelling will be correct - the truth “you say” or"speak"? It turns out that everything here depends on which of the indicated verbs is used.
If the first option is used, then, in accordance with the II type of verb conjugation, you need to write:
- verb;
- verb;
- verb;
- verb;
- verb.
If the second option is present, then it is written:
- verb;
- verb;
- verb;
- speak;
- speak.
This is due to the fact that here I is a type of conjugation.
Thus, it turns out that both options have the right to exist. But some researchers believe that the use of the word "verb" is literary, and "verb" is colloquial. However, it seems that the second option is more familiar to the hearing of a modern person.
Etymology
According to linguists, the word is derived from the noun "verb". On the one hand, "verb" denotes a part of speech that expresses an action. And on the other hand, in a grandiloquent or outdated version, - "speech", "word". It, in turn, comes from the Proto-Slavic golgol. From him, among others, originate:
- Old Church Slavonic - "verb";
- Greek – ῥῆΜα;
- Russian - "verb" (borrowed from Church Slavonic, instead of the original Russian "gologol");
- Czech0e - hlahol - "hub, ringing", hlaholit - "to sound".
Is related to:
- Russian - "voice";
- Middle Irish - gall - "glory";
- Kimrian - galw - "call";
- Old Norse - kalla - "sing", "call";
- Middle High German - kelzen, kalzen, - "boast", "talk".
You speak the truth
About this expression in the dictionary you can find the following interpretation. When used, they want to emphasize the correctness of the interlocutor. Often this has a slight ironic connotation. Here there is a stylization of the phrase under the speech of a representative of the church. This, as it were, gives the right to speak in an edifying tone.
Usage examples:
- I love this boy like my own son, I speak the truth.
- “I completely agree with you, sir,” the old man answered Peter. Then he confirmed, "You speak the truth."
- Jesus also talked about neighbors who may be hostile to their relatives. He said, “Truly I say to you that his household are the enemies of man.”
Origin of expression
Like many other commonly used phraseological units, the expression "tell the truth" is associated with biblical events. It is found, for example, in the Gospel of John Chrysostom.
There are words that Jesus Christ spoke to the Jews: “Which of you convicts me of iniquity? If I speak the truth, why don't you believe me? He who is from God listens to the words of God. You are not from God, that's why you don't listen to me. To this the Jews answered that Jesus was a Samaritan and that he had a demon. To which the Savior said: “There is no demon in me, but I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. Although I do not seek glory, there is a Seeker and a Judge.”
Among the interpretations of these words of Jesus Christ given by John Chrysostom, there are, for example, the following. Jesus severely condemned the Jews. At the same time, he referred to the fact that, accusing him, they could not convict him of sin or untruth. In trying to accuse Christ, the Jews could not bring any evidence either before or after. Why didn't they trust Jesus? The reason here is not in him, but in themselves. Namely, that they are not children of God.
Alternate version
There is another version of the expression under consideration, concerning the baby. Truth speaks through his lips. What is the meaning of this phrase? It is connected with the fact that children's perception of the surrounding reality is much different from that which is present in an adult.
Here the lack of logic and life experience is compensated by simplicity and sincerity. At the same time, simplicity is the one that is meant in the expression "everything ingenious is simple." Children often get the gist much faster and easier. Their world is filled with contrasts and "painted" with broad strokes. This type of perception gives children the opportunity to catch the most important thing where an adult can interfere with all sorts of particulars and conventions.
As for sincerity, for a small person the world around is genuine, real, without pretense, without masks, they are naive and disinterested. Even playing, they experience real feelings and experiences. They openly rejoice, worry, get angry. Thus, these two terms: simplicity (quick grasp of the essence) and sincerity (inability to lie) andreveal the meaning of the phrase “the mouth of a baby speaks the truth” – the child does not deceive.
Another shade of meaning is a direct, unsophisticated, thoughtless response, when a person does not think about the consequences. An example taken from the fairy tale "The King's New Clothes", written by Andersen, speaks of the immediacy of the child. After all, it was the child who publicly said that the king was naked.
Also from the Bible
This proverb also has biblical roots. In the Gospel of Matthew there is an episode in which Jesus Christ comes to the temple and, finding merchants there, in anger drives them out of there. This is described as follows.
- Jesus came to the temple of God, from where he drove out all those who sold and bought, overturning the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling pigeons.
- And he said that the temple is his house for prayer, they turned it into a den for robbers.
- Then the lame and the blind came to him, and he healed them.
- Seeing these miracles and hearing the exclamation of children: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (joy of salvation), the scribes and chief priests were indignant.
- They said to Jesus, "Do you hear what they say?" He answered: “Yes, but have you not read: “out of the mouth of babes and sucklings have you made praise?”.
From this line in the Gospel of Matthew, a proverb was formed.
