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When did the phrase 'as if' originate?
Now, I know it was popularized in the movie 'Clueless' in 1995 but I've been busting a gut trying to find out if it was used before that. I'm pretty sure it can't have been invented just for that movie (although I could be wrong) so I'm trying to find out where the phrase 'As if' (meaning unlikely or yeah right) came from.
If someone could help me out I would be much obliged.
Thanks for the first answer, but to stem anything along those lines I meant the usage of 'as if' to mean unlikely or to use another slang term 'yeah right'.
You have no idea how hard it is to find the origin of that particular idiom.
Yes, thank you second answer. In case you didn't read the whole question, I do in fact know what the phrase means. I want to find out when it started.
2 Answers
- Doctor PLv 710 years agoFavorite Answer
(idiomatic) referring to something that the speaker deems highly unlikely
- barbara vLv 710 years ago
According to my unabridged dictionary, "as if" has been in use for nearly 500 years.
In casual speech, people usually say "like", but in formal writing, "as if" is preferred.
Source(s): Randon House Unabridged Dictionary
