• Source: Pig in a poke

A pig in a poke is a thing that is bought without first being inspected, and thus of unknown authenticity or quality. The idiom is attested in 1555:

A "poke" is a sack, so the image is of a concealed item being sold.
Starting in the 19th century, this idiom was explained as a confidence trick where a farmer would substitute a cat for a suckling pig when bringing it to market. When the buyer discovered the deception, he was said to "let the cat out of the bag", that is, to learn of something unfortunate prematurely, hence the expression "letting the cat out of the bag", meaning to reveal that which is secret. The French idiom acheter (un) chat en poche and the Dutch een kat in de zak kopen and also the German die Katze im Sack kaufen (all: to buy a cat in a bag) refer to an actual scam of this nature, as do many other European equivalents, while the English expression refers to the appearance of the trick. The English idiom "sold a pup" refers to a similar con. Other variations include "buy a fish in water" (Arabic), "buy a cow on another mountain" (Chinese), "buy in a closed box" (Italian) and "buy a cat instead of a hare" (Iberian languages).
In common law, buyers have the right to inspect goods before purchase.




Etymology


A poke is a sack or bag, from French poque, which is also the etymon of "pocket", "pouch", and "poach". Poke is still in regional use. Pigs were formerly brought to market for sale in a cloth bag, a poke.




Use in popular culture


In the April 1929 edition of the literary magazine The London Aphrodite, a story by Rhys Davies, titled "A Pig in a Poke", was published, in which a Welsh coal miner takes a woman from London for his wife and regrets it.
In the 1985 film National Lampoon's European Vacation, the Griswold family wins the vacation on a game show called "Pig in a Poke".




See also



Cultural references to pigs
Green goods scam
Lipstick on a pig
Impulse purchase




Notes






References






Bibliography


E. Cobham Brewer, Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Funk, Charles Earle, A Hog on Ice: & Other Curious Expressions. HarperResource, 2002. ISBN 0-06-051329-2.
• Source: Pig in a Poke

Pig in a Poke is a 1977 Australian series about a Melbourne doctor who moves to Redfern. There was a 1974 one-off drama, and a subsequent series of five episodes in 1977.
It stars Paul Mason as a doctor who buys a medical practice sight unseen and Justine Saunders as his receptionist and nurse. The first episode explored domestic violence and the need for women's refuges. Other episodes look at Greek family traditions, transvestites and the way laws are applied differently for blacks and whites.




Cast


Paul Mason as Dr Peter Reynolds
Justine Saunders as Maureen
Chris King as Billy Hodge (1974)
Pat Evison (1974)
Julie Dawson as Mary (ep. The Ginny Story)
Arianthe Galani (ep Theo's Story)
Tessa Mallos as Christina Moustakas (ep. Christina's Story)
Neil Fitzpatrick (ep Lisa's Story)




Accolades


1975 Logie Awards

Best Individual Performance By An Actress - Pat Evison
1977 Penguin Awards

Best Supporting Actress - Arianthe Galani (ep Theo's Story)
Best Script Writer - John Dingwall and Margaret Kelly (ep. The Ginny Story)
1977 AWGIE Award

Best Original Work for TV - Margaret Kelly and John Dingwall (ep. Theo's Story)
1978 Logie Awards

Best Individual Performance by an Actor - Neil Fitzpatrick (ep Lisa's Story)
Best Dramatic Script - John Dingwall and Margaret Kelly




References






External links


Pig in a Poke at IMDb

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Peppa Pig
• Babi
• Toby Jones
• Rica Matsumoto
• Pig in a poke
• Pig in a poke (disambiguation)
• Pig in a Poke
• A Poke in the Eye... with a Sharp Stick
• Poke
• National Lampoon's European Vacation
• Lipstick on a pig
• Pork Dukes
• List of scams
• National Lampoon's Vacation (film series)