Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and I spent my weekend down south. Of course, somebody told me, “Bless your heart!” Which got me thinking: What does this phrase actually mean, and where did it come from?
Somewhat surprisingly, it probably came from England and was a genuine request for divine blessing. It dates all the way back to the 16th century, and it came to the U.S. with the early settlers as an expression of well-wishes or gratitude.
And then, because no southerner can bear to be overtly rude, it took a passive-aggressive turn. Bless your heart can still be sincere and even sympathetic … or it can let you know that you’re acting ridiculously. It’s the difference between “bless your heart” and “well…bless your heart.”
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