I had always thought that the phrase was "don't look...", but my friend insists that it is "don't punch..." and there are a non-zero number of web search results showing usage of the other phrase. But I can't figure out where it comes from, or what it means, or if it is different from my understa...
The usual "look" = give a look of disappointment or disapproval; show ingratitude. "Punch" would change the meaning to "actively express disappointment or disapproval; complain and object, etc.
@Greybeard The usual "look" = give the gift a critical look in order to get some idea of how much it's worth. The horse might --- but then again might not --- be long in the tooth and thus not worth as much as you might have at first thought.
@RosieF In decades of speaking English, I can say I have never heard the idea of valuing the gift as a primary meaning. You are right that the horse's age can be judged by its teeth, but looking it in the mouth amounts to being disapproving of/ungrateful for being given a horse. For example if I give you a free, blue Ferrari and you complain because you wanted a red one, you have looked a gift horse in the mouth.
My understanding of "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth," originates with the practice of inspecting a horse's teeth prior to buying it to assure it is healthy. A gifted horse is free, so checking it's teeth implies you are nit-picking the quality of a gift. I've never heard the "punch" version.
@GuntramBlohm and it would lend itself to the same pun, if we wanted to ("Einem geschenkten Gaul haut man nicht aufs Maul" has a certain rhythm). Luckily we don't want to.
Someone tries to spice up a well known bit of wisdom, and completely mutilated it in the process. This could lead to all sort of confusion, but we'll burn that bridge when we double-cross it.
@DWKraus just to avoid confusing those here to learn English, you intended "...checking its teeth...". The pronouns (his/hers/its) do not have apostrophes.
There are a lot of... creative... false etymologies floating around for common expressions. People for some reason derive a lot of pleasure from being able to say "well, actually", and the more-recent versions are often colorful enough to gain some traction on their own. Here's one I find particularly annoying. Don't believe any etymologies that come without sources, and the more interesting the explanation is, the less likely it is to be true.
Discussion on question by MikeD: What…
Discussion on question by MikeD: What…