You sweet summer child

[thinkprint]

AIBU to feel absolutely fucking murderous when people say this?

Definitely heard this way before game of thrones, which I’ve never seen

A cursory google shows that it was popularised by GoT but the writer took an existing phrase and meaning, albeit one that wasn’t commonly used.

Here's one from the 1840s https://wiki.roshangeorge.dev/w/The_West_Wind,_James_Staunton_Babcock

OP will ignore that because it was not documented online in the 1840s.

If people are saying this to you enough to annoy you, id start to look inward OP.

Fucking He’ll, they’re not saying it to me. They’re saying it on here, repeatedly. Presumably you are one of them. You don’t sound clever.

What is it meant to mean? I get the implication that it relates to innocence but in what circumstances would you say it to someone. Is it meant to be a way of disagreeing or pointing out they are wrong or uneducated about a point? Also I don't know what it means in the literal sense. Is a summer child a reference to something superstitious or religious?

Oh OP, you really do believe that things only exist if you know about them, don't you? Do you also believe that people can't see you if you can't see them?

You sweet summer child.

I have never seen it on MN before this thread. And I've never watched GoT. But I do know the phrase and have done for years.

I'm cringing for you a bit, OP. Just accept that you got it wrong. You're still allowed to be annoyed by the expression.

Never watched GoT but I do know the saying and what it means. My Gran used to say it and she was born around 1900s.

I’m interested to hear older British usages — I think anytime I’ve encountered in pre-internet contexts, it’s been US.

I suspect that the basic expression has been around for a very, very long time. But that doesn’t really matter. As used on here it’s the leper's bell of a patronising half-wit.

Yep, it comes from the GOT books. Lots of people swear down they heard it as a kid but it's a false memory.

Edit: As proven by this very thread!

It was popularised by Game of Thrones. So people who came down in the last shower, like you, imagine it never existed before then.

Sorry, she's right on this one.

It being used in a condescending way, to address someone who’s never seen the winter was first used in 1996 in the GOT books.

The words had appeared together in a poem but not in that context.

That was my contribution to the thread about phrases/words that drive you demented. I've only ever heard it on MN but it drives me nuts.

I deliberately use this phrase to be annoying and patronising. It works really well. I'm sure everyone who uses it is either a pompous condensing shtbag or, like me, trying to get a rise out of someone who is being a wnker.
I'm inserting stars into certain words because I'm not sure how sweary we're allowed to be on this app.

I’ve only ever seen it used here. I never watched GOT though. I just find some of the stock mn phrases bland and pick me. Super try hard even though it’s an anonymous forum

I am also 57 and never heard it in my childhood. Case reopened.

Or that it was in use but you just never heard it.

That is the question

Absolutely is. You might as well call someone thick and you get deleted for that.

I'd love somebody to call me that again - it's been many, many years now.

Op. Please don't worry. Winter Is Coming...