Hello, everybody! Today, I’m going to talk about a phrase you might hear in conversation, one that sounds just a little bit strange.
Jeff: “I heard that you need a singer for the show.”
Lucy: “Yes, I’m thinking of asking Warren. He’s a great singer.”
Jeff: “What am I, chopped liver?”
One of the strangest American expressions is “What am I, chopped liver?” It’s used when someone has said or done something to indicate (show) that they don’t think highly of you (don’t have a good opinion of you) or your skills. The liver is the organ in the body near the stomach that does many things, including removing toxins (poisons) from the body. The liver of many animals, such as cows and chickens, is often prepared as food. Chopped liver is a traditional Jewish dish made by cooking the liver with onions in oil in a hot pan. It’s usually eaten as a spread (soft, thick moist substance) on bread or crackers (small, flat, crisp food often eaten with cheese or other food on top).
Why has chopped liver become associated with being underappreciated (not valued)? Nobody knows for sure, but there are a few possible explanations.
First, chopped liver isn’t a dish that everybody likes, so comparing something to chopped liver is a way of expressing frustration or anger that you’re being ignored (not getting attention) or dismissed (treat as not useful or worthy) as being unimportant, just as chopped liver might be.
Another explanation is that chopped liver is usually served as a side dish (smaller, less important part of a meal) and not the main course (the main part of a meal). So when we compare ourselves or someone else to chopped liver, we’re saying that we (or they) are not important and we are easy to overlook (be ignored; not notice).
So the next time you feel ignored or underappreciated, you can say, “What am I, chopped liver?” It’s a rhetorical question (question asked without expecting or needing an answer), but since it communicates that you’ve been insulted (treated disrespectfully) or your feelings have been hurt (treated unkindly), the person you’re speaking to will probably reassure you (say something so you won’t doubt or fear something anymore) — that is, if they like you.
~ Lucy
Hi Lucy, how are you doing? I am doing meh or so so.
I did not know this one. After all the thousands of videos I have been watching, I am not sure of ever hearing this expression or perhaps I wasn’t paying attention to it.
As I often do, I was thinking at something similar in Italian.
The exact phrase would be “what am I, something to dispose of or throw away?”
But that sounds bad. I would translate it into “what am I, garbage?”
We use liver to describe someone that is brave.
So instead of saying that “he has guts” we say “he has liver”
Another use is when someone is very upset or angry, that person is eating their own
liver because of rage.
Thanks, Ciao.
Hello
I appreciate much this podcast with its transcript.
There are several synonyms of undervalue that i’ve enjoyed so I am going to add them to my vocabulary. In special, the word dismiss makes me thing about the prefix and how they usually change totally the meaning of a word.
I’ve also found a new word for me – or perhaps i had forgotten it – which is side dish. The translation in Spanish for this word has three different meanings: ornament, group of soldiers, and side dish as well.
Again, i find this blog very interesting
Thanks, bye
It is freezing out here.
U don’t wanna know how cold it is out here.
It is brutal !!
🙂
Pete
Hi Pete.
It’s the Russians. They are pushing the cold towards Canada.
Don’t you know that lately you can blame anything on to the Russians?
Ciao Thanks.
Hey Dan,
Well
Let’s just say where there is smoke, there is fire
🙂
Pete
Hi,
A new phrase to me “What am I, chopped liver?”.
Thank you.
Best wishes,
Tania
Hey folks
Man
Talk about a text book Freudian slip. 🙂
Have u seen the latest president elect ‘s unprecedently presidential slip :))
A test book Freudian slip indeed
Sorry
Couldn’t resist
🙂
Pete