Fishy Smelling Fish.

 Have you ever wondered why we describe the smell of fish as "fishy" and not the other way around? It's an interesting linguistic quirk that has puzzled people for ages. In this blog post, we'll explore the origins of this phrase and try to shed some light on why it is the way it is.

The first thing to understand is that the word "fishy" has been around for a long time. It has been used to describe the taste and smell of fish for centuries. In fact, the Oxford English Dictionary traces the first use of the word "fishy" back to the 14th century.

So, why did people start using the word "fishy" to describe the smell of fish? One theory is that it has to do with the fact that fish is a very distinctive odor. It's not like any other smell, and so people needed a word to describe it that was equally distinctive. "Fishy" was the perfect word for this purpose because it's a made-up word that doesn't really sound like anything else. It's unique, just like the smell of fish.

Another theory is that the word "fishy" was originally used to describe the taste of fish. When people first started eating fish, they might have found it to be an unusual taste, and they needed a way to describe it. "Fishy" was a convenient word to use because it's easy to remember and it accurately describes the flavor of fish.

Over time, the use of the word "fishy" evolved to include the smell of fish as well. This makes sense because the taste and smell of fish are closely related. When you eat fish, you taste the flavor and smell the odor at the same time. It's natural that people would use the same word to describe both.

So why isn't it called "fish smelling fish"? There are a couple of reasons for this. First, "fishy smelling fish" simply sounds better than "fish smelling fish." The word "fishy" has a certain ring to it that "fish" doesn't. It's catchier and more memorable.

Second, the phrase "fishy smelling fish" is more specific than "fish smelling fish." When you say "fishy smelling fish," you're describing a very specific type of fish smell. It's the kind of smell that's associated with fish that isn't fresh or has been sitting around for too long. If you just said "fish smelling fish," it could refer to any kind of fish smell, even a pleasant one.

In conclusion, the reason why we describe the smell of fish as "fishy" and not the other way around has to do with the evolution of language over time. The word "fishy" was originally used to describe the taste of fish, but over time it came to be used to describe the smell as well. This is because the taste and smell of fish are closely related, and it made sense to use the same word for both. Additionally, "fishy smelling fish" is a more specific and memorable phrase than "fish smelling fish." It accurately describes the type of fish smell that most people associate with the word "fishy." So the next time you smell something fishy, you'll know exactly why we use that particular word to describe it!