Phrase Origins: Preposterous

It is obvious that "preposterous" is not a phrase, but a word. However, there is enough information in that one word that it can easily be considered a phrase.

Most people know that word "preposterous" means "absurd." It may also mean "weird" or "laughable" or "odd."

The word "preposterous" was used several times in a translation of Erasmus's Enchirdion Militis Christiani in 1553. It was used to say that things were wrong or inverted. In 1661, the word "preposterous" appeared in The Vanity of Dogmatizing by Joseph Glanvill. He wrote, "Thus our Eyes, like the preposterous Animal's, are behind us." The word was specifically used to refer to "wrong" animals.

The word "preposterous" was used to refer to "wrong" animals. These were common in the medieval ages. Such things as dragons and mermaids were common. People also believe in griffins and unicorns. Another beast that existed was the amphisbaena. This was a serpent that had a head at each end. It's eyes glowed and if it was cut in half, the body could repair itself into one whole animal again.

The serpent could also roll along in a circle if the two heads clamped onto each other.

It was said that wearing a live amphisbaena could help with pregnancy and wearing a dead amphisbaena could help with rheumatism.

This is another preposterous beast.

The word "preposterous" counts as a phrase as it can be taken apart to see the meaning. The reason for mentioning the preposterous beasts is because the word is was often first used to describe them. This is because it means "the front has become the rear." "Pre" means "front" and "post" means rear. So, something that is "preposterous" literally means that the front has become the rear of that thing.

Of course, today, the word has only come to mean "odd, weird, absurd," but it came from beasts being "preposterous" meaning the head as the rear, the rear as the head, or at least just a "wrong beast."

Sources:

Amphisbaena. (n.d.). Soapmaking . Retrieved March 28, 2011, from http://www.eaudrey.com/myth/amphisbaena.htm

Amphisbaena - Monstropedia - the largest encyclopedia about monsters. (n.d.). Main Page - Monstropedia - the largest encyclopedia about monsters . Retrieved March 28, 2011, from http://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Amphisbaena

Martin, G. (n.d.). Preposterous. The meanings and origins of sayings and phrases . Retrieved March 28, 2011, from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/preposterous.html