For starters it's an Irish saying, meaning (as far as I can tell) something is scary but fun. The addition of grapes is most likely a localized addition, as there are reports of variations involving other food types:
- Scary Biscuits
- Scary Bananas
- Scary Eggs
For scary biscuits I found the meaning being: exactly the same as scary, just with added biscuity goodness (which I kinda like)
Origins:
A lot of the references to scary grapes refer to an oldish debate about GM (genetically modified) foods, in particular using the examples of the controlled breeding of grape vine lines (by an American in the 19th century) to eventually produce seedless grapes. The basic argument being that if you're fine with eating seedless grapes you should be fine with eating GM foods as they are both genetically modified, one (the seedless grapes) is via the traditional method of cross breeding, the other is done in a lab.
As interesting as that debate is, unfortunately it has nothing to do with the use of scary in ireland today. Instead using scary with a food item seems to be a way of saying something is scary but in a humourous and fun way. Reported use of scary biscuits as early as 1920s from a crime radio show in Ireland (haven't been able to track exact references)
Request: If anyone has any info to help clarify origins/meanings of scary grapes (is it actually a synonm of scary biscuits?) please send me an email or just put in a comment against this post!
References:
2 comments:
hey.. I am an Irish girlie who uses the term 'scary grapes'. I also know a lot of people who say 'scary biscuits' but I actually dont know where the 'grapes' version came from... You're right- It is used in a fun way when something is scary but 'good' scary...
Good Job!!!
Thanks :-)
I did find one reference to scary grapes, used at halloween. Instead of bobbing for apples the kids would bob for grapes.
I think I might have to track down the origins of "scary biscuits" and just mark scary grapes down as a version of the same.
Post a Comment