{"id":90,"date":"2021-10-09T21:39:53","date_gmt":"2021-10-09T21:39:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=90"},"modified":"2021-10-12T19:15:44","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T19:15:44","slug":"how-now-brown-cow-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/how-now-brown-cow-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"How Now Brown Cow - Meaning, Usage and Origin"},"content":{"rendered":"

The phrase \u201chow now brown cow\u201d is a frequently recited but misunderstood idiom. You may have heard it in movies or from friends, but what does it really mean?<\/p>\n

In this article, you\u2019ll learn more about this fascinating phrase, including its meaning, origins, and usage. We\u2019ll also provide some well-known examples of the phrase from pop culture.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

Most people have heard and even recited the phrase, \u201chow now brown cow,\u201d but few know the actual meaning of it. In reality, the phrase \u201chow now brown cow\u201d has no literal meaning<\/strong>. The phrase was coined as a teaching aid to assist with elocution or the study of formal speech.<\/p>\n

You pronounce each O in the phrase in the same way, and the rhyming sounds are easy for school children to memorize. That\u2019s why the term has been and is still used to teach the pronunciation of rounded O sounds.<\/p>\n

The repetition and silliness of the phrase make it an effective teaching tool.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

Even though the phrase \u201chow now brown cow\u201d has no literal meaning, its usage has spread wildly and is common in pop culture.<\/p>\n

In the film Anchorman<\/em>, Ron Burgundy, played by Will Ferrell, prepares to anchor a news segment. He repeats the phrase, \u201chow now brown cow\u201d<\/a> twice, then checks his tongue in a mirror before reciting it once more.<\/p>\n

In the original trailer for the 1998 film The Avengers<\/em>, Dr. Emma Peel, played by Uma Thurman, is in a red phone booth. She answers the ringing phone with the phrase, \u201cHow now, brown cow?\u201d<\/p>\n

However, more correct usage of the phrase is a teaching tool to improve the dictation and pronunciation of vowel sounds. For example, during an elocution lesson, an instructor would say to a student, \u201chow now, brown cow.\u201d The student would then repeat the phrase back to the instructor.<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

Rumor has it that the phrase \u201chow now brown cow\u201d was once a way to order a beer in Scotland, where beer barrels were colloquially referred to as brown cows. No one has managed to prove this claim, though.<\/p>\n

The phrase may have gained traction when Coach Belle Kennedy instructed actor Laird Cregar to say it from a playhouse stage repeatedly to improve the projection of his voice. However, despite its nonsense nature, the phrase is common in pop culture, appearing in The Avengers<\/em>, Anchorman<\/em>, and more.<\/p>\n

Similar Phrases and Synonyms<\/h2>\n

The phrase \u201chow now brown cow\u201d has no literal meaning, so there are no comparable phrases to convey the same information. However, other commonly used elocution phrases<\/a> include tongue twisters, such as:<\/p>\n