The "skin a cat" thread began on the LAWPROF list (a student was bothered by
the use of the phrase "there is more than one way to skin a cat"). I like
the Dear Abby explanation that Richard Leiter posted about it originating
from Mississippi and the "catfish" there are difficult to skin, and therefore,
people have different ways of skinning them.
If this phrase harks back to old 17th century proverbs, then we're back to
the drawing board - does the original phrase really refer to cutting off
the skin of cats (in which case, some people will have problems with the use
of that phrase)? Any of the proverbs sources provide histories?
I offered an alternate reading from looking at the _Dictionary of American
Slang_ - as to "skin" means to "cheat" and "cat" is generally a "person" - I
read "there is more than one way to skin a cat" as "there is more than one
way to cheat a person". Seems like less violent origins to me (though then
that makes it have moral implications that the person using it might not
intend).
We're done with the thread on LAWPROF, but if someone does ascertain the
definitive origin of this phrase, please let me know at
llou@midway.uchicago.edu. I just can't believe it actually came from
skinning real cats, because, then the question would be - why and what
types of cats does the phrase refer to?
Thanks,
Lyo.
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P.S. STUMPERS-L might also be a place to find out the history of this
phrase?
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Lyonette Louis-Jacques | llou@midway.uchicago.edu
Foreign and International Law | When the twelve notes have
Librarian and Lecturer in Law | all appeared, the piece
University of Chicago Law School | is over - Anton Webern
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