What is the origin of the phrase “I can see my house from here”? I have found several examples of it in humor, usually when some character is hoisted to a great height, or as Jesus’ last words on the cross. But I can’t find where it originated.
Using Google Books, I can see it in print as far back as 1985.
I have little doubt that it’s a line from a stand-up comic, probably somewhere in the 1970s-early 1980s.
I’m sure that people said it and meant it straight when they stood on a height and saw their house. It was probably originated by Egyptians in Giza building the Great Pyramid.
‘Peter…! Peter…!’
The only one that counts!
When I first heard it, it was addressed to the gentleman mentioned above, and it was “I can see your house from here.”
And the gentleman’s name is always mentioned twice – as you all have indicated. For some reason it’s just funnier that way.
Terry Pratchett, Jingo:
One was a little higher than the others. He pulled himself up and found, on its flat top, two huge feet. A statue must have stood here. It probably stood, if Vimes knew anything about statues, in some kind of noble attitude. Now it had gone, and there were just feet, broken off at the ankles. They weren’t exceptionally noble.
As he lowered himself again he saw, protected because this side was out of the wind, some lettering carved deeply into the plinth. He tried to make it out in the fading light:
‘AB HOC POSSUM VIDERE DOMUM TUUM’
Well… ’domum tuum’ was ‘your house’, wasn’t it? …and ‘videre’ was ‘I see’…
‘What?’ he said aloud. “’I can see your house from up here?” What kind of a noble sentiment is that?’
‘I believe it was meant to be a boast and a threat, Sir Samuel,’ said 71–hour Ahmed. ‘Somewhat typical of Ankh-Morpork, I’ve always thought.’
Does anyone know how to say it in the original Aramaic?
or “Nobody touch my Easter Egg. I’ll be back for it on Sunday…”
I had always assumed it was from a movie. A black and white movie from the 50s or earlier. Spoken by a woman right near the end.