# "Can you say...?" : where does that expression come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 3, 2001, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-say-where-does-that-expression-come-from/79507 "2001-09-03T11:38:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reuben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Reuben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reuben)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-say-where-does-that-expression-come-from/79507/1 "2001-09-03T11:38:08Z")
There seems to be a growing tendency on the 'net to answer a question (or otherwise contribute an item of information to the conversation) with another question of the form : “Can you say \?” For example, Person A: I wonder where rain comes from? Person B: Can you say clouds? Where does this expression come from? And am I the only person who finds it intensely annoying? ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-say-where-does-that-expression-come-from/79507/2 "2001-09-03T11:44:14Z")
Sounds like it came from Mister Rogers or some similar kiddie show. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-say-where-does-that-expression-come-from/79507/3 "2001-09-03T11:46:19Z")
**Mister Rodger’s Neighborhood** , ostensibly. Although yours truly (a fan) never heard him utter those words on one of his shows. In Robin Williams’ early days, he was fond(as were a _lot_ of comedians) of poking fun at the Presbyterian minister’s accent and slow way of speaking, often giving him a fey personality for the sake of a joke. To whit: “Let’s put Mr. Hamster in the microwave! See? Ya have a balloon now! Can you say ‘Pop goes the weasel?’ I knew you could!” Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-say-where-does-that-expression-come-from/79507/4 "2001-09-03T11:48:27Z")
It’s spelled “Rogers”, _not_ Rodgers. As a fan, I should know better! Quasi ---
**Author:** ![custard\_dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@custard\_dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/custard_dragon)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-say-where-does-that-expression-come-from/79507/5 "2001-09-03T14:08:43Z")
I would go along with Quasimodems answer except to add that the greatest popularizer of that phrase was probably Eddie Murphy in his “Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood” sketch on SNL. In both cases (Rogers and Murphy) the context and meaning were entirely different from the use you quote. A typical Fred Rogers use would be more like. “Thi fish are in their aquarium. Can you say that? Aquarium?” One of the great Americans of our time. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-say-where-does-that-expression-come-from/79507/6 "2001-09-03T14:32:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Quasimodem \* > **…To whit: “Let’s put Mr. Hamster in the microwave! See? Ya have a balloon now! Can you say ‘Pop goes the weasel?’ [Very good,] I knew you could!”…** [Mister Rogers] “…And why did I do that, boys and grills? Because, someday, all of us are going to die of severe radiation poisoning!” [/Mister Rogers] ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2001, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-say-where-does-that-expression-come-from/79507/7 "2001-09-03T14:38:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Quasimodem \* > > **…To whit: “Let’s put Mr. Hamster in the microwave! See? Ya have a balloon now! Can you say ‘Pop goes the weasel?’ [Very good,] I knew you could!”…** > > [Mister Rogers] > > “…And why did I do that, boys and grills? Because, someday, all of us are going to die of severe radiation poisoning!” > > [/Mister Rogers] \*\* Boys and **grills**? I didn’t know Rogers taught cooking equipment … Can you say ‘typo’? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2001, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-say-where-does-that-expression-come-from/79507/8 "2001-09-06T06:06:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > \*\*…Boys and **grills**? I didn’t know Rogers taught cooking equipment … > > Can you say ‘typo’? > > 😃 \*\* Can you say; “Gee, I don’t listen to Robin Williams very much.” No typo, that’s just the way that R.W. parodies M.R. in his improv.