Quite often, you would have heard the phrase born with a silver spoon. You would have used it yourself. Have you ever thought of where the phrase came from?
Did You Know Facts #20 – Born with a silver spoon:
Spoons were often used to feed infants and were known as “pap boats”. Expensive and elaborate versions were available to those who could afford it. The expression “born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth” probably evolved around the 16th century.
If you are a mother, you can relate to the tale of this phrase more. Every mother would have fed their babies with a spoon. The style of the spoon depends on how much they could afford. Silver spoon is something that was unaffordable to laymen. Only the Kings and Ministers could use them in those times. Hence people used the phrase to indicate affluence and aristocracy.
This usage was used over and over again. Finally, it grew as a synonym for richness. Of course, it could not be literal, would it? Imagine a child coming out of the mother’s womb with a silver spoon in its mouth. Hilarious, isn’t it?
For more strange facts about babies, check out our Did You Know Facts Series.
Information source: Facts Random History
