make head nor tail of

The expression make head nor tail of is one of the idioms that often finds a place in our literature and enriches our language. However, its meaning is not fully understood, so it is sometimes used in the wrong situations. Please review the explanation carefully for the correct use of the make head nor tail of idiom.

Meaning of "make head nor tail of"

Meaning

The idiom 'make head nor tail of' is used to describe an inability to understand or make sense of something. When someone says they can't make head nor tail of something, it means they can't comprehend or process the information they were presented with.

Etymology

The idiom 'make head nor tail of' is thought to have originated in the late 1500s when it was first recorded in print. It is believed to have derived from the phrase 'neither head nor tail', which was used in the Middle Ages to describe an argument with no clear beginning or end.

The idiom also refers to the terms ‘head’ and ‘tail’ being used to describe the top and bottom parts of coins. This is because, over time, coins have come to feature elaborate designs, making it difficult to tell which side is the ‘head’ and which is the ‘tail’. Thus, the phrase ‘make head nor tail of’ came to imply the impossibility of making sense of something.

Usage

This idiom is most commonly used in informal speech, particularly within conversations between friends or family members. It is not often used in formal settings or in written English.

Example Sentences

• I can’t make head nor tail of your handwriting – can you please rewrite it?
• I listened to the professor’s lecture, but I couldn’t make head nor tail of what he was talking about.
• John and Jane had been arguing for hours and I couldn’t make head nor tail of their disagreement.
• I’m sorry, but I can’t make head nor tail of this maths problem.

From One Language to Another: Idioms in Translation

Translating idioms from one language to another can be a tricky task, as the cultural context behind an idiom can be difficult to capture. For example, the French phrase "avoir le cafard" translates to "to have the cockroach," which means to feel down or depressed. Similarly, the Chinese idiom "????" (j?ng d? zh? w?) translates to "frog at the bottom of a well," which refers to someone with a narrow view of the world.