As sure as eggs is eggs

[UnquietDad]

Why?

Why not "as sure as eggs are eggs"?

Don't be misled - I'm not getting in a huff and campaigning for it to be changed. I'm aware it's one of those "comedy" phrases where the grammar is deliberately wrong, like "who'd a thunk it" and "them's the breaks."

Come to think of it, where did those two come from?...

from the Random Homily Generator. Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs!

I thought it was a bastardisation of "sure as X is X" (ie and not Y).

Sure as x is x makes sense, never thought of that.

I always wondered why people said 'near as damn it', til I heard MIL say one day "near as damn it is to swearing". Now that made perfect sense.

my mother (obviously an uber-pedant) always said 'as sure as eggs are eggs' so I do too...

the wide use of 'who'd a' thunk it' and 'them's the breaks' is frustrating my Googling

Have to say the 'x is x' explanation sounds highly unlikely to me. Folk etymology?

"eggs is eggs" has got a bit of a My Fair Lady feel to it, to me. Have been looking for evidence that Cockney uses 'is' with plural nouns...

Sounds more like Beverly Hillbillies type usage to me, but have no idea. Am now desperate to know.

Sounds New Yorkish to me, dunno why....

Hmm, yes that sounds plausible.

Sort of Guys n Dolls ish...?