How Has Boxing Affected The English Language?

Well, the boxing forums sure are dumbed down a lot. A ton of the posters on these forums don't make sense of what they're trying to say. You'd have to read it a few times before you can understand. How has it affected the English language? Why would you even write a story like this?

 

Many famous quotes or sayings have come from boxing over the years. A few I believe are:

"He can run but he can't hide"-Joe Louis

"The bigger they are the harder they fall"-Joe Louis

Not up to scratch

Saved by the bell

Back against the ropes

 

Loads and loads sayings and meanings come from boxing

Betting stake

Comming up to scratch

Toeing the line

The real McCoy

Are just four...

 

"This makes Cinderella look like a sad story" One of countless Larry merchant gems.

and

"if your a good mechanic your going to get dirty"


are two lines that come to mind.


The heightened drama that goes with the physical aspect of boxing has until very recently been an outlet for some of the best literary minds (Hemmingway being the most prominent that comes to mind). And again until recently it has always been covered by literary/poetically adapt journalist. So I guess that could be considered an affect its had on the English language.

 

new popular phrases:

bum
tomato can
china chin
glass chin
journeyman
nuthugger
I make you my *****
I will eat your children
chicken dance
he cannot talk money with me
...

 

ask stinky gloves! he's esb's resident expert on both fields. ask him about filipinos too!!!

 

Beating someone to the punch is a boxing phrase, used now in common english all the time.

 

Pound for Pound

Lacyed

 

Patsy
Manila Ice
Pedicab/tricycle drivers
shot/washed up fighters

 

You the grammar freek right? Say finally something interesting The Under****yourself

... wait, wait I have new term: china chin a la Rey "Bum Bum" Bautista:rofl

 

My defense is impregnable, cure for insomnia

 

Some boxing phrases that have worked their way into the American vernacular, at the very least (some already mentioned above):

- Throw in the towel / sponge
- Saved by the bell
- up against the ropes
- Rope-a-dope
- Answered the bell

Edit - deleted one that came from elsewhere and added the last one

 

sucker punch
gloves are off
***** street
verbal sparring
boxing clever

also one can be said to be 'in the corner' of a person/issue that thet support.

out on their feet
backed into a corner
on the ropes
toe to toe

 

Toeing the line is from british politics, not boxing.