SHAGGY DOGS: TO SEE Naples and dieis an old Italian expression, one that has filtered through into the English language, albeit meaning something entirely different.
The suggestion was that there was no place more beautiful on Earth than Naples and that once you had been there, then nothing else on the planet was worth seeing. They would have you believe you experienced Utopia.
The phrase was first recorded in 1787 when the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote, of Naples, in his book Italian Journey: "I will not say another word about the beauties of the city and its situation, which have been described and praised so often. As they say here: ' Vedi Napoli e poi muori'," meaning "see Naples and die".
But the expression has become far more ominous over the years - "see Naples and [literally] die" - and points to the time when the city was a notorious centre for cholera, typhoid and many other deadly diseases, which might explain how the phrase became better known among English travellers.
Something in fine fettleis in good condition and ready for anything. In Old English, the word fetel originally meant "strip of metal, girdle or binding" (binding is used here in the sense of getting things ready).
However, over the years that shifted slightly to "prepared, ready and in good condition", hence "fine fettle".
Adding to bootto a sentence gives emphasis, suggesting we are gaining more than we originally expected from an arrangement. Boots have nothing to do with this Old English expression and instead we should actually be using the word bot, which can be translated as "to gain advantage" or "to profit".
It is one of those many old words that have come down from the ages, if in slightly altered form.
• Extracted fromShaggy Dogs and Black Sheep by Albert Jack (Penguin Books)