"Seeing pink elephants" is a euphemism for hallucinations caused by delirium tremens or alcoholic hallucinosis, especially the former. The term dates back to at least the early 20th century, emerging from earlier idioms about seeing snakes and other creatures. An alcoholic character in Jack London's 1913 novel John Barleycorn makes reference to the hallucination of "blue mice and pink elephants" while describing the two different types of men that consume alcohol excessively. Another notable instance of the appearance of pink elephants in popular culture is the "Pink Elephants on Parade" section of the 1941 Walt Disney animated film Dumbo.
Pink elephants actually exist in nature. Although they are extremely rare, albino elephants can appear to be pink as well as white.[1]
For many decades before "pink elephant" became the standard drunken hallucination, people were known to "see snakes" or "see snakes in their boots."[2] Beginning in about 1889, and throughout the 1890s, writers made increasingly elaborate modifications to the standard "snakes" idiom. They changed the animal to rats, monkeys, giraffes, hippopotamuses or elephants – or combinations thereof; and added color – blue, red, green, pink – and many combinations thereof.
In what may be the earliest recorded example of a (partially) pink elephant, Henry Wallace Phillips in the 1896 short story "The Man and the Serpent" – one of his "Fables for the Times" – refers to a drunken man seeing a "pink-and-green elephant" and a "feathered hippopotamus".[3][4] In 1897, a humorous notice about a play entitled The Blue Monkey, noted that "We have seen it. Also the pink elephant with the orange trunk and the yellow giraffe with green trimmings. Also other things."[5]
An early literary use of the term is by Jack London in 1913, who describes one kind of alcoholic, in the autobiographical John Barleycorn:
There are, broadly speaking, two types of drinkers. There is the man whom we all know, stupid, unimaginative, whose brain is bitten numbly by numb maggots; who walks generously with wide-spread, tentative legs, falls frequently in the gutter, and who sees, in the extremity of his ecstasy, blue mice and pink elephants. He is the type that gives rise to the jokes in the funny papers.[6]
"Pink elephants" became the dominant animal of drunken-hallucination choice by about 1905, although other animals and other colors were still regularly invoked. "Seeing snakes" or "seeing snakes in one's boots" was in regular use into the 1920s.[2]
In the comic book Action Comics #1, published in 1938, Lois Lane reports at the Daily Planet newspaper that she witnessed Superman. Her editor brushes off Lois's story, asking if it was pink elephants she was seeing.
A well-known reference to pink elephants occurs in the 1941Disney animated film Dumbo. In a segment known as "Pink Elephants on Parade", after taking a drink of water from a bucket spiked with champagne, Dumbo and Timothy begin to hallucinate singing and dancing elephants.
Product referencesedit
Brouwerij Huyghe in 2014.
The association between pink elephants and alcohol is reflected in the name of various alcoholic drinks. There are various cocktails called "Pink Elephant",[7] and the Huyghe Brewery of Belgium put a pink elephant on the label of its Delirium Tremens beer.[8]
Other meaningsedit
In 2008, Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin used the phrase "pink elephants" to refer to conservative women such as herself, Carly Fiorina, Sue Lowden and Jane Norton.[9] She was referencing the elephant as the symbol of the Republican Party and pink being a stereotypical feminine color.
^Morelle, Rebecca (March 20, 2009). "Pink elephant is caught on camera". BBC News.
^ abBrown, Peter Jensen (20 August 2014). "The Colorful History and Etymology of "Pink Elephant"". Early Sports 'n' Pop-Culture History. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
^Phillips, Henry Wallace (April 30, 1896). "The Man and the Serpent". Life. Vol. 27, no. 696. p. 343.
^Phillips, H. W. (2004) "The Man and the Serpent" in Fables for the TimesProject Gutenberg
^Staff (December 6, 1897). "A Candid Editor". The Evening Times. Washington DC. via St. Paul Dispatch.
^London, JackJohn Barleycorn Chapter II, at Wikisource
^Bouchard, Cathy and Foley, Ray (November 1, 2011). Ultimate Little Cocktail Book. Sourcebooks. p. 31. ISBN9781402254109.
^Staff (May 29, 2020). "The Pink Elephant beer: Delirium Tremens". Belgian Beers.
^Spencer, Jean (May 14, 2010). "Palin: 'Look Out for Stampede of Pink Elephants'". The Wall Street Journal.
January 01, 1970
seeing, pink, elephants, other, uses, pink, elephant, disambiguation, euphemism, hallucinations, caused, delirium, tremens, alcoholic, hallucinosis, especially, former, term, dates, back, least, early, 20th, century, emerging, from, earlier, idioms, about, see. For other uses see Pink elephant disambiguation Seeing pink elephants is a euphemism for hallucinations caused by delirium tremens or alcoholic hallucinosis especially the former The term dates back to at least the early 20th century emerging from earlier idioms about seeing snakes and other creatures An alcoholic character in Jack London s 1913 novel John Barleycorn makes reference to the hallucination of blue mice and pink elephants while describing the two different types of men that consume alcohol excessively Another notable instance of the appearance of pink elephants in popular culture is the Pink Elephants on Parade section of the 1941 Walt Disney animated film Dumbo Pink elephants actually exist in nature Although they are extremely rare albino elephants can appear to be pink as well as white 1 Contents 1 History of the euphemism 2 Product references 3 Other meanings 4 See also 5 ReferencesHistory of the euphemism editFor many decades before pink elephant became the standard drunken hallucination people were known to see snakes or see snakes in their boots 2 Beginning in about 1889 and throughout the 1890s writers made increasingly elaborate modifications to the standard snakes idiom They changed the animal to rats monkeys giraffes hippopotamuses or elephants or combinations thereof and added color blue red green pink and many combinations thereof In what may be the earliest recorded example of a partially pink elephant Henry Wallace Phillips in the 1896 short story The Man and the Serpent one of his Fables for the Times refers to a drunken man seeing a pink and green elephant and a feathered hippopotamus 3 4 In 1897 a humorous notice about a play entitled The Blue Monkey noted that We have seen it Also the pink elephant with the orange trunk and the yellow giraffe with green trimmings Also other things 5 An early literary use of the term is by Jack London in 1913 who describes one kind of alcoholic in the autobiographical John Barleycorn There are broadly speaking two types of drinkers There is the man whom we all know stupid unimaginative whose brain is bitten numbly by numb maggots who walks generously with wide spread tentative legs falls frequently in the gutter and who sees in the extremity of his ecstasy blue mice and pink elephants He is the type that gives rise to the jokes in the funny papers 6 Pink elephants became the dominant animal of drunken hallucination choice by about 1905 although other animals and other colors were still regularly invoked Seeing snakes or seeing snakes in one s boots was in regular use into the 1920s 2 In the comic book Action Comics 1 published in 1938 Lois Lane reports at the Daily Planet newspaper that she witnessed Superman Her editor brushes off Lois s story asking if it was pink elephants she was seeing A well known reference to pink elephants occurs in the 1941 Disney animated film Dumbo In a segment known as Pink Elephants on Parade after taking a drink of water from a bucket spiked with champagne Dumbo and Timothy begin to hallucinate singing and dancing elephants Product references edit nbsp Brouwerij Huyghe in 2014 The association between pink elephants and alcohol is reflected in the name of various alcoholic drinks There are various cocktails called Pink Elephant 7 and the Huyghe Brewery of Belgium put a pink elephant on the label of its Delirium Tremens beer 8 Other meanings editIn 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin used the phrase pink elephants to refer to conservative women such as herself Carly Fiorina Sue Lowden and Jane Norton 9 She was referencing the elephant as the symbol of the Republican Party and pink being a stereotypical feminine color See also edit Pink elephant in the room Ironic process theory Don t think of a pink elephant References edit Morelle Rebecca March 20 2009 Pink elephant is caught on camera BBC News a b Brown Peter Jensen 20 August 2014 The Colorful History and Etymology of Pink Elephant Early Sports n Pop Culture History Retrieved 12 April 2016 Phillips Henry Wallace April 30 1896 The Man and the Serpent Life Vol 27 no 696 p 343 Phillips H W 2004 The Man and the Serpent in Fables for the Times Project Gutenberg Staff December 6 1897 A Candid Editor The Evening Times Washington DC via St Paul Dispatch London Jack John Barleycorn Chapter II at Wikisource Bouchard Cathy and Foley Ray November 1 2011 Ultimate Little Cocktail Book Sourcebooks p 31 ISBN 9781402254109 Staff May 29 2020 The Pink Elephant beer Delirium Tremens Belgian Beers Spencer Jean May 14 2010 Palin Look Out for Stampede of Pink Elephants The Wall Street Journal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Seeing pink elephants amp oldid 1215729127, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
