SEMANTIC ENIGMAS



What is the origin of the phrase "the real McCoy"? Maggie, London "The real McCoy" was the inventor Elijah McCoy,born in Canada in 1844. He had many different inventions including an ironing board and a lawn sprinkler. Other companies copied his devices, but these never worked as well as Elijah's so people would say, "I want a , and make sure it's a real McCoy." Richard Thompson, Allerod Denmark Brewer's Millenium Edition An expression used in the USA, but formerly in Britain it was the Real MacKay. Various stories about an American boxer have been suggested as the origin of the phrase, but Eric Partridge in "From Sanskrit to Brazil" [1952] , says with probable truth that it dates from the 1880s and originated in Scotland , where it was applied to whisky, men and things of the highest quality. The whisky was exported to both the USA and Canada , where people of Scottish origin drank the whisky and kept the phrase alive. In the 1890s however, there is no doubt that it was applied to a famous boxer, Ked 'the real' Bran Robison, Brentwood, Essex An alternative suggestion is that it originates from the phrase 'the real Mackay', an advertising slogan used by G. Mackay and Co, whisky distillers in Edinburgh in 1870. The form McCoy is apparently of US origin. Justine, Reading England It was Elijah McCoy's 1st invention, a lubricator for steam engines, which made people ask for the real McCoy (at least in America). also see: http://www.princeton.edu/~mcbrown/display/mccoy.html Jason, Fairfax USA McCoy was a Canadian whiskey smuggler in Prohibition. The Real McCoy was good Canadian whiskey from his operations, not home distilled stuff. Probably. Stuart, London UK I have read that those old fashioned cookied jars (character typed things) you often see at flea markets and antique shops were originally made by a McCoy. With many immitations out there the phrase "Real McCoy" came to be. That previously was the only explanation I'd ever heard and I always believed it. Lavone Swanger, Waynesville USA Back in the late 40s early 50s there were ceramic pieces made. Most of them were for hanging. They had what were called hairpin holders. The pieces were usually flowers. In the back of the flower was a hole or pocket where you would but your hat pins or hairpins etc. They name on these pieces (the real ones , that is) is McCoy. I have a few and they are worth $$ to a collector today. However many 5 and 10 stores made copies. Hence 'The real McCoy' Janice Donachy, Pittsburgh USA The 'real mccoy'is an American corruption of the 'real mackay'. One very possible origin of this phrase is connected with the stage version of Scott's famous novel Rob Roy. The part of Bailie Nichol Jarvie, a popular comic character, was played in Edinburgh for many years by an actor called Mackay. One evening he did not appear,and was replaced by another actor. The memorable phrase "That's no the real Mackay" was uttered sotto voce by a member of the audience. This use of the phrase originated in the 1820s. It was undoubtedly this phrase which RLS had in mind when he described himself as 'the real Mackay'. Louis Stott, Aberfoyle Perthshire The Hatfields and the McCoys were a pair of feudin' families from the hills of Virginia in the 19th century; indeed, it was a feud of epic proportions, stretchin across several generations and dozens of deaths, that soon became a national cause celebre. Therefore, it became a mark of pride to belong to either one of the families, but for some reason or other it was the McCoys whose name would go down in history as an expression of authenticity. Whenever challenged on their provenance outside the state of Virginia, a member of said family would inevitably reply, 'Yessir, aaahm a Real McCoy'. Nick, London England The the real McCoy was the scotch whiskey smuggled into the US by Capt Willy McCoy during the era of prohibition. Only McCoy's whiskey was the real stuff. Shashikar Dayal, Long Island, USA To quote "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into History Again" (a great, nearly 100% accurate source of trivia), page 144 "The most infamous rumrunner was sea captain Bill McCoy, whose liquor was of such high quality that it led to the expression 'the real McCoy'". Robert, Nashville, TN USA "The Real McCoy" was the inventor Elijah McCoy who invented a lot of different kinds of things. Laraysha Gardner, Cincinnati, USA I recently read an article in VOX magazine which had an article about the turn of the century and rum-running during Prohibition. Supposedly, the sailor and rum-runner William "the Real" McCoy was the best and wealthiest rum-runner within the port of Greenport during its prime. The coined phrase, "the Real McCoy" is supposedly based on this character who apparently delivered the most illegal alcohol to Eastern Long Island and at a fair and reasonable price. Kevin Smith, Greenport, Long Island, New York United States As members of my family have told me, the "Real McCoy" came from my great grandfather, who ran a funeral parlor in Lower Manhattan during the prohibition era. The Parlor itself did no business as it was a front for a whiskey distillery. He would then supply the local speakeasies who would ask for Real McCoy Whiskey. Tom McCoy, Long Island, NY US It don't matter cuz I'm a real Mccoy ...my family is out there in Virginia ....so if you don't have family from out that way you probably aren't related to the mccoys who actually reused with the hatsfields Daryl McCoy, aurora illinois u.s



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