Chrysti The Wordsmith: Scratch - 3

The Montana State University in Bozeman I'm Christie the wordsmith. Recently on this series we've been looking at some expressions that incorporate the term scratch. First up was start from scratch meaning to begin a project with few basic resources or none at all and scratch the surface or approach something superficially. A term most likely derives from agriculture where merely scratching the surface of the soil does not adequately prepare it for planting. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours is another idiom belonging to this family of phrases. It's colorful shorthand for the notion that if you do me a favor I'll do you one in return. The meaning is enhanced by the pleasurable image of someone else scratching your itchy back. A difficult spot for anyone to reach for himself with you immediately or eventually returning the favor to the scratcher. Ultimately everyone benefits. A version of this expression was panned as long ago as 17 0 4 by London satirist Ned Ward who wrote charmingly

scratch me says one and I'll scratch V. The idiom you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Showed up two centuries later in the works of American author Joseph Heller in his 1961 novel Catch 22. Heller has character Dr. Nneka say a little grease is what makes this world go round one hand washes the other know what I mean. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours. I'm Christie the wordsmith from Montana State University in Bozeman. CHRISTIE The wordsmith is sponsored by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Zoot enterprises a high tech firm in Bozeman Montana offering challenging careers and innovative solutions for the financial services industry sued web dot com.