Hallo Peter
The first time I heard this phrase a good few years ago (?15), it was
Barbara Cartland, of all people, but she may well have been quoting a
much older source! However I have consulted 2 dictionaries of
quotations and neither contains this quotation which might mean that the
phrase is not that antique after all. Certainly when I heard Cartland
say it, on a TV programme, she meant that what you are is made up of
what you eat, hence, be mindful of what you eat.
Jan
In message <[log in to unmask]>,
Peter Popkin <[log in to unmask]> writes
>Hi Zooarch,
>
>Does anyone out there know the etymology of the familiar phrase "you are
>what you eat"? I've googled without much luck. I'm interested in its
>antiquity and its original context - that is to say was it designed to mean
>"WHAT you are is what you eat" or "WHO you are is what you eat" - or
>perhaps it encapsulated both meanings.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Peter
>
>
>
>
>
>Peter R. W. Popkin
>Institute of Archaeology
>University College London
>31-34 Gordon Square
>London, England
>WC1H 0PY
Jan Light
Janthina Consultants
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Godalming, Surrey
GU7 2PN, UK
email: [log in to unmask]
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