A question for Bluesky's autistic community: Do you memorize the origin of idioms (e.g. 'mad as a hatter' coming from hatters having brain damage from mercury exposure) because they help you make sense of them? I'm trying to test a theory. RTs to increase reach would be very welcome!

Yes, very much so

Not diagnosed but likely ASD, and I do this. Didn’t know that one! Thanks.

Yes! For years I thought everyone memorized the origins of idioms, metaphors, phrases, & words in order to understand them I also memorized each person’s joking & speech patterns to better “vibe” with them I saw everything like a script from a Reality Show like Survivor I now know I’m autistic

I think it's more just me being a slut for knowledge than anything else, although I guess the autism kinda 'helps', you know?

I do this, but it's more because I'm interested in the history of language than anything else

I thought I memorized them because I was a nerd, but this kinda makes sense.

Yup. I've always had to know the "why" of things to feel like I understand them. Unfortunately, they don't encourage this kind of thinking in most of the jobs I've had. Never question anything seems to be the standard operating procedure of most companies.

I can make sense of idioms without knowing their origins, but I really do enjoy etymology and it also seems to have been a shared hobby with my great-grandmother.

I hadn't noticed I do that before you asked, but...

thats pretty much how I remember and make sense of anything. Understanding the how and allows me not only to make sense but it then become something I can effortlessly recall even through otherwise my brain is like a sive