# My lips to yours

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-lips-to-yours/1007544>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 21, 2024, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-lips-to-yours/1007544 "2024-09-21T04:56:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SpicyDuckBillyHunt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@SpicyDuckBillyHunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpicyDuckBillyHunt)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-lips-to-yours/1007544/1 "2024-09-21T04:56:46Z")

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In the second Hot Shots film.  
US President Benson meets the Japan PM.

Benson: My intestines were removed during action in the North Atlantic. My bowels were replaced with hemp. Clogs easily.  
Mishahuru Soto: I hope you feel better.  
Benson: Well, **my lips to yours**.

What is the meaning of “my lips to yours”?

It is said like it’s a quaint American saying that is strange for non-native speakers of English.

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**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-lips-to-yours/1007544/2 "2024-09-21T05:04:26Z")

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There’s a Yiddish expression “from your lips to God’s ear,” probably twisted for comedic effect.

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-lips-to-yours/1007544/3 "2024-09-21T10:05:04Z")

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I just watched the scene in its dubbed German and Spanish versions. The German one has Benson respond “_Mein Wort in Ihrem Ohr_” (“My word in your ear”). This is an intentionally wrong version of the German saying “_Ihr Wort in Gottes Ohr_” (“Your word in God’s ear”), which you say in order to express your hope that something the other person said turns out true. The Spanish version has the plain “_A ver si es verdad_” (“Let’s see if it turns out true”).

So I’d say it was not meant to be an actual expression but an intentionally inaccurate wording, probably of the saying referred to by @Slithy_Tove.

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**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-lips-to-yours/1007544/4 "2024-09-21T11:46:03Z")

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Cf. Bart Simpson handing out hymnals at church: “Fresh from God’s brain to your mouth!”

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**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-lips-to-yours/1007544/5 "2024-09-21T16:15:54Z")

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Ooh, he card read well.

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-lips-to-yours/1007544/6 "2024-09-21T16:34:59Z")

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Variations of “my lips to your ears” are common. This one is twisted to follow with the rest of the absurdist dialogue.