I met a couple of friends for drinks yesterday afternoon. One was already there when I arrived and he asked if the other friend had come with me. I told him no, and he said he hoped that he hadn’t forgotten, because it had been a long time since we had gotten together. He had hardly gotten the words out of his mouth when the second friend arrived and he said “speak of the devil….”
“Speak of the devil” is something I’ve heard, and used, all my life. It’s kind of a curious phrase, since it’s usually used when referring to friends.
I wondered how did it originate and how did it come into popular use….
Not surprisingly, like most idioms, “speak of the devil” doesn’t have a clear, defined origin. But it appears to have originated from an old proverb that cautioned against mentioning the devil, because it was believed to invoke his presence. In medieval England, people had superstitions about the power of words and believed that naming the devil could summon him. A number of variations of the idea appeared in multiple languages and cultures — often as warnings against speaking of evil or dangerous entities.
The original expression was longer — something like “Speak of the devil, and he will appear,” or as the English say, “Talk of the devil, and he’s presently at your elbow.” The phrase was used as a literal warning rooted in superstition. But over time, its meaning evolved and became more lighthearted.
The phrase became increasingly common, particularly in informal conversation. It shed its superstitious origins and came to mean something more like: “We were just talking about you, and here your are!” When its used today it’s recognized an an idiom with no serious connection to its original darker origins.
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