{"id":3180,"date":"2022-05-03T18:07:58","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T18:07:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=3180"},"modified":"2022-05-03T18:07:58","modified_gmt":"2022-05-03T18:07:58","slug":"elephant-in-the-room-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/elephant-in-the-room-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Elephant in the Room \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you feeling uncomfortable about a topic that no one seems to address? If so, you could tell them that you need to talk about \u201cthe elephant in the room<\/em>.\u201d This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The expression \u201cthe elephant in the room<\/em>\u201d refers to a taboo or undiscussed topic. Everyone is aware of the topic and its issues, but no one is willing to address it. Instead, they leave it to fester, causing problems and strife in relationships.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The saying can refer to personal or public situations, and it\u2019s common to hear people use the phrase when discussing politics and social policy.<\/p>\n

Leaders that refuse to address social issues, such as homelessness, would be avoiding the \u201celephant in the room<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon, Mike, let\u2019s address the elephant in the room here. We\u2019re both moving around the problem; it\u2019s time we sorted it out before it starts causing problems with the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHoney, I know you don\u2019t want to talk about it, but we have to address the elephant in the room. If we don\u2019t, I don\u2019t think we have a future together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe boss told me that he wants us to put in more hours to get the sales figures up for the month. However, he refuses to address the issue of the CRM being on the fritz. The system is responsible for us losing deals, not our actions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s talk about the elephant in the room. No one wants to talk about the opioid crisis and its effects on homelessness.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

The origin of the expression \"the elephant in the room\" comes from the 1950s. It's a uniquely American saying, and language experts aren't sure about the phrase's source.<\/p>\n

The first similar reference to the current phrase appears in The Charleston Gazette in July 1952, where it appears as follows.<\/p>\n

\"Chicago, that's an old Indian word meaning get that elephant out of your room.\"<\/p>\n

The intent of the author is not clear in the article. However, experts believe that it has an ironic intention to it. The saying comes from the Native American culture, and it's clear that it has nothing to do with elephants.<\/p>\n

The first use of the phrase in its modern context comes from a book published by Typpo and Hastings in 1984, \"An elephant in the living room: a leader's guide for helping children of alcoholics.\"<\/p>\n

The phrase went on to experience mass adoption across the English language. Today, the term appears without the addition of \"living\" to the saying.<\/p>\n