When I was at primary school (some forty years ago) I was taught that “raining cats and dogs” was a standard expression in British English (this was in Sweden). I even think I was told to teach it to my own students when I, as result of some temporary insanity, became a teacher later on (I’m not anymore).
Now, what I would like to know is this: could you still use it without sounding totally silly, and in what parts of the World? If not, how long ago did it disappear from everyday usage?
You could use it in the UK without sounding totally silly just so long as you do so in a way which lets everybody know you know that you sound just a bit silly. Does that make sense?
Well, golly gee whiz, here in Mid-America it’s still in standard usage. Dunno where you’re speaking to us from, Floater, but AFAIK anywhere “from California to the New York island” you can still use it with a perfectly straight face, no need for elaborate facial grimacing to indicate that you are deliberately using some quaint old-fashioned expression like “the bee’s knees” or “so’s your old man”.
What English-language group are YOU speaking from, Ticker? If I may be so bold as to inquire… [grimacing elaborately to indicate deliberate use of quaint old-fashioned expression] The UK? Ah, yes, I believe they do tend to be rather more self-conscious about slang. Now, us damn Yankees, we just r’ar back and let fly. “Hellfire!” we shout, looking out the window. “It’s a-rainin’ cats and dogs! Sure cain’t fix the roof today, not while it’s a-leakin’, no sir, hand me the remote, willya…”
The modern, unexpurgated version of the phrase is:
[ul]“It’s raining catshit and dogshit.”[/ul]
This is acceptable everywhere. Teach it to your pupils.
The phrase used around here is comme une vache qui pisse i.e. ‘like a cow pissing’. It only compares the flow of the rain to that of a urinating bovine, and does not at all imply any other urinary qualities of the precipitation.
[/nitpick]
.
obligatory bad joke:
What’s worse than raining cats and dogs?
.
.
.
Hailing taxicabs…
