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Stephanie and her inquisitive two-year-old are wondering why we sometimes say 'Holy Mackerel!' Unfortunately, the explanation is as murky as the tomato sauce that the British love to drown their fish in.
Image of Mackerel via Shutterstock
One thing most experts agree on is that the phrase serves as a euphemism for 'Holy Mary.' Saying 'Holy Mackerel' instead of invoking the Madonna's name is similar to expressions like 'Darn it all,' 'Oh, fudge,' or my mom's go-to phrase, 'God… Bless America.'
But why was the North Atlantic fish chosen for the phrase, rather than something like 'Holy Muffin,' 'Holy Muskrat,' or another quirky 'M' word? Cupboard Love: A Dictionary of Culinary Curiosities offers an explanation, though it may not be suitable for your two-year-old, Stephanie.
"Mackerel," it says, had two meanings in the 14th century: the fish, of course, but also "pimp." Why? There are two possible explanations:
1. The Dutch term “makelaar” translates to “broker” or “peddler,” which later became slang for someone involved in the trade of flesh.
2. There's an old belief (one I hadn't heard of, but perhaps that's due to my lack of fish knowledge) that male mackerels lead female herring to their mates each spring. While this isn’t true, the idea could have contributed to why mackerel was also used as a term for a pimp.
This is likely also the origin of the word “Mack,” as in, “The Daddy Mack will make you jump, jump.”
Of course, none of this explains why anyone would find 'Holy Pimp' a better choice than 'Holy Mary.'
