How now brown cow
Encyclopedia
"How now brown cow" is a phrase used in elocution
teaching to demonstrate rounded
vowel
sounds. Each "ow" sound in the phrase represents an individual diphthong
. The phrase does not have an explicit meaning per se but can be used as a light-hearted greeting. Although the exact origins of the phrase are unclear, its use in teaching elocution can be dated to at least 1926.
In the 1980s
, a World Wrestling Federation skit featured George "The Animal" Steele getting electroshock therapy at the recommendation of his manager, Captain Lou Albano. Just before the therapy went horribly wrong, the previously incoherent George clearly states "how now brown cow" - indicating the treatment was, at first, a success.
Ron Burgundy uses the saying in the movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
.
Uma Thurman uses it as a password in the telephone booth to get into the secret base in the 1998 movie, The Avengers
In The Nanny
, Maxwell and Niles use the phrase 'how now brown cow' to teach Ms Fine how to speak properly.
In Courage The Cowardly Dog
, Muriel uses this phrase to audition for a part in a play.
This phrase was used on a Teletubbies
episode aired to TV.
This phrase was one of the first phrases spoken by the talking horse in the pilot of Mister Ed
In the early 90's, the punk rock band Green Day
used to change the lyrics of the song When I Come Around
by saying "How Now Brown Cow" instead of "When I Come Around".
Sometimes the phrase is used as "How Tow Brown Cow"
John Butler Trio
use the phrase in their song "Used to get high for a living".
In PBS Kids
series Martha Speaks
, Martha says this phrase in the theme song.
This phrase is used humorously during an interlude near the end of the Monkee's hit, "I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"
Hip- hop group A Tribe Called Quest
used the phrase in Scenario, the last track of their 1991 album The Low End Theory
,
There is a British English pronunciation
textbook by Mimi Ponsonby titled "How Now Brown Cow?: A Course in the Pronunciation of English with Exercises and Dialogues".
The phrase is used by the protagonist in the novel "Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said," a 1974 science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick.
Elocution
Elocution is the study of formal speaking in pronunciation, grammar, style, and tone.-History:In Western classical rhetoric, elocution was one of the five core disciplines of pronunciation, which was the art of delivering speeches. Orators were trained not only on proper diction, but on the proper...
teaching to demonstrate rounded
Roundedness
In phonetics, vowel roundedness refers to the amount of rounding in the lips during the articulation of a vowel. That is, it is vocalic labialization. When pronouncing a rounded vowel, the lips form a circular opening, while unrounded vowels are pronounced with the lips relaxed...
vowel
Vowel
In phonetics, a vowel is a sound in spoken language, such as English ah! or oh! , pronounced with an open vocal tract so that there is no build-up of air pressure at any point above the glottis. This contrasts with consonants, such as English sh! , where there is a constriction or closure at some...
sounds. Each "ow" sound in the phrase represents an individual diphthong
Diphthong
A diphthong , also known as a gliding vowel, refers to two adjacent vowel sounds occurring within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: That is, the tongue moves during the pronunciation of the vowel...
. The phrase does not have an explicit meaning per se but can be used as a light-hearted greeting. Although the exact origins of the phrase are unclear, its use in teaching elocution can be dated to at least 1926.
Popular Culture
In the movie "There's No Business Like Show Business" from 1954, Donald O'Connor's character, Tim Donahue, says the line.In the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
, a World Wrestling Federation skit featured George "The Animal" Steele getting electroshock therapy at the recommendation of his manager, Captain Lou Albano. Just before the therapy went horribly wrong, the previously incoherent George clearly states "how now brown cow" - indicating the treatment was, at first, a success.
Ron Burgundy uses the saying in the movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, or simply Anchorman, is a 2004 American comedy film, directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell. The film, which was also written by Ferrell and McKay, is a tongue-in-cheek take on the culture of the 1970s, particularly the then-new Action News format...
.
Uma Thurman uses it as a password in the telephone booth to get into the secret base in the 1998 movie, The Avengers
In The Nanny
The Nanny
Nanny may refer to:* Nanny, a child's caregiver* A grandmother * A Cajun word for godmother * A female goat* Nanny , a 1981–83 British drama series starring Wendy Craig* Nanny of the Maroons...
, Maxwell and Niles use the phrase 'how now brown cow' to teach Ms Fine how to speak properly.
In Courage The Cowardly Dog
Courage the Cowardly Dog
Courage the Cowardly Dog is an American animated television series created by John R. Dilworth for Cartoon Network. Its central plot revolves around a somewhat anthropomorphic dog named Courage who lives with his owners, Muriel and Eustace Bagge, an elderly, married farming couple in the "Middle of...
, Muriel uses this phrase to audition for a part in a play.
This phrase was used on a Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies is a BBC children's television series targeted at pre-school viewers and produced from 1997 to 2001 by Ragdoll Productions. It was created by Ragdoll's creative director Anne Wood CBE and Andrew Davenport, who wrote each of the show's 365 episodes. The programme's original narrator was...
episode aired to TV.
This phrase was one of the first phrases spoken by the talking horse in the pilot of Mister Ed
Mister Ed
Originally produced in late 1960, Mister Ed is an American television situation comedy produced by Filmways that first aired in syndication from January 5 to July 2, 1961, and then on CBS from October 1, 1961, to February 6, 1966....
In the early 90's, the punk rock band Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
used to change the lyrics of the song When I Come Around
When I Come Around
"When I Come Around" is a song by American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the fourth single from their third album, Dookie. "When I Come Around" was Green Day's most popular radio single in their early career, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay. This was their...
by saying "How Now Brown Cow" instead of "When I Come Around".
Sometimes the phrase is used as "How Tow Brown Cow"
John Butler Trio
John Butler Trio
The John Butler Trio are an eclectic roots and jam band from Australia led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler. They formed in Fremantle in 1998 with Jason McGann on drums and Gavin Shoesmith on bass guitar...
use the phrase in their song "Used to get high for a living".
In PBS Kids
PBS Kids
PBS Kids is the brand for children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States founded in 1993. As with all PBS programming, PBS Kids programming is non-commercial. It is aimed at children ages 2 to 10...
series Martha Speaks
Martha Speaks
Martha Speaks may refer to:* Martha Speaks , a 1990s children's book series.* Martha Speaks , a 2008 children's animated sitcom based on the book series....
, Martha says this phrase in the theme song.
This phrase is used humorously during an interlude near the end of the Monkee's hit, "I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"
Hip- hop group A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
used the phrase in Scenario, the last track of their 1991 album The Low End Theory
The Low End Theory
The Low End Theory is the second album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. Released on September 24, 1991 through Jive Records, the album produced three singles: "Check the Rhime," "Jazz ," and "Scenario."-Conception:...
,
There is a British English pronunciation
Received Pronunciation
Received Pronunciation , also called the Queen's English, Oxford English or BBC English, is the accent of Standard English in England, with a relationship to regional accents similar to the relationship in other European languages between their standard varieties and their regional forms...
textbook by Mimi Ponsonby titled "How Now Brown Cow?: A Course in the Pronunciation of English with Exercises and Dialogues".
The phrase is used by the protagonist in the novel "Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said," a 1974 science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick.