Why do women “fall” pregnant?
Because they “have sex” with someone. You see, when two people really love each other… but perhaps you should ask your mother to give you this talk.
“Fall pregnant”? I’ve never once in 39 years heard this usage, that I can recall. Where are you from that you hear this expression? It’s quite possibly a regionalism.
A woman might trip over a penis in an untidy flat.
I’ve seen the phrase frequently in books written in the Victorian era, or when letters from that time are quoted.
I’ve often wondered about its origins, myself. Perhaps it’s connected to the concept of sexual sinfullness-- in an “Eve’s Fall” sort of way, or maybe it’s from the idea that pregnancy was somewhat of a calamity in that many women died in childbirth. Or, maybe it’s connected with the phrase “one fell swoop” in some way.
I suppose it’s up to one of the Dopers who is an expert in word origins: does “fell” have a lot of different meanings?
A woman might slip and fall on a penis on a slipery sidewalk.
More seriously, “fall” can mean to passively become something or to or pass into a state of mind or state of being, for example: “She fell into a new way of thinking of him, she fell in love with him, she fell asleep with him, she thought she fell ill, but really she fell pregnant by him.”
You won’t hear “She fell pregnant” very often in North America, but you will hear it in other Commonwealth nations.
Here is an example of modern usage:
http://www.fpahealth.org.au/sex-matters/faq/pregnancy_20020618.html
Can’t find anything that addresses the issue directly, but I very timidly hazard it might be related to the use of “fall” meaning sin, or loss of chasity. But that is a pure guess.
Whoops, just found this:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/06/1091732082639.html?oneclick=true
which does tie it to Eve’s fall from grace, no sourcing though, so who knows.
An unscientific survey of the google results indicates that it may be a bit more of an Australian usage than elsewhere.
And if one falls pregnant to often for one’s wishes, one might declaim to one’s gyno:
I do not love thee, Doctor Fell.
The reason why, I cannot tell;
But this I know, and know full well,
I do not love thee, Doctor Fell.
I fell into an error there: should have written “too often”. It’s late, so I’m falling into the Land of Nod.
Although sometimes pregnancy is associated with sin, I doubt that there is such a connotation to “falling” in reference to falling pregnant, anymore than there is such a connotation with “fallng asleep” etc.
“Falling pregnant” is British usage. It means an unplanned pregnancy and is a favourite amongst those who like to suggest that it’s just one of these accidents that happen, like tripping on the street. Nothing to do with my actions, not my fault.
Isn’t “fall” just another way of saying “become,” as in “fall ill”? (For some reason it sounds strange in the present. “She fell ill,” “she fell pregnant” sounds better.) Now what to make of “fall in love”?
Is it something to do with Daylight Savings? Spring forward, fall pregnant?
Perhaps you fall pregnant if, after getting knocked up, you get knocked down.
*I get knocked up
But I get down again
You’re never going to keep me round
I get knocked down
But I get up again
You’re never going to keep me down
Swiving the night away
Swiving the night away*