The Urban Dictionary defines the phrases ‘Catching some Zzz’s’ as trying to get some sleep.
Cartoons like Snoopy often have him pictured lying down on his little dog house with a few Zzz’s drifting off into the sky. But why Zzz’s? Seriously why? I can hand on heart say I have never once, anywhere in the world, seen anyone actually breathe out a Z or even make a Z sound so where has this come from???
Cartoons like Snoopy often have him pictured lying down on his little dog house with a few Zzz’s drifting off into the sky. But why Zzz’s? Seriously why? I can hand on heart say I have never once, anywhere in the world, seen anyone actually breathe out a Z or even make a Z sound so where has this come from???
Seriously where do those Zzz's come from!?!?!?!? Honestly I haven’t – I have heard of people farting in their sleep, I’ve heard people screaming and crying and laughing in their sleep, I have even had full on conversations with a sleeping person but never once did I see a Z. This intrigued me and so for the purpose of this Z blog I have sought out the answer for you...
Apparently back in the day (specifically 1800’s ish) there was an older phrase ‘Logging Zzz’s’ which came from the sound of ‘sawing logs’ and which was then associated with people who snored badly as a derogatory term. This was then used by cartoonists like Charles M Schulz, in Snoopy to show them snoring or just generally sleeping but soon it became the universal symbol for snoring...I think that’s quite cool really! But then I’ve always liked snoopy.
As far as the ‘Catching some Zz’s’ obviously that is metaphorical and you do not prance around with a butterfly net trying to actually trap the letter Z....that would be weird...(INSERT VISION OF ME RUNNING AROUND THE GARDEN) the catching part is a more ‘gangsta’ way of saying I am off for a nap...the fresh prince said it one time!
For those of you who don’t know me you will not know of my secret quest to become more ‘gangsta’ – ‘gangsta’ in the ‘wey cool’ sense not in the Bugsy Malone way – and so from now on ‘Going for a nap’ or ‘Off to bed’ are phrases that are dead to me. From now on I will always be ‘Catching some Zzz’s!’
(Also I snore so it seems an appropriate phrase as well as being cool!)
