Talk:you can't judge a book by its cover

Latest comment: 9 years ago by Dbfirs in topic One can't...

Should the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" (the formulation preferred by e.g. wp) be an Alternative form, or would that be too different? Under "See also"? \Mike 05:12, 15 December 2008 (UTC)Reply

You're right -- this is a valid and common formulation. In Wiktionary, redirects are acceptable for idioms which have a number of alternative forms, and this idiom already has some redirects (for other purposes, though, redirects are generally not used in Wiktionary). I've just added a redirect for this variation. -- WikiPedant 06:09, 15 December 2008 (UTC)Reply


One can't... edit

Shouldn't it be 'one can't judge a book by its cover'? Since the Criteria for Inclusion page says 'prefer the generic personal pronoun, one or one’s.' Other personal pronouns should be avoided, it says, 'except where they are essential to the meaning' - you is not essential to the meaning here. --86.15.54.255 16:29, 2 June 2010 (UTC)Reply

I've just been led here by the same thought, four years later. I wonder why this hasn't been corrected. Perhaps we should take it to the Tea Room. Dbfirs 00:24, 25 May 2014 (UTC)Reply

etymology of this phrase? edit

Where does this phrase come from? I've heard a few suggestions, but they have the feel of "folk etymology". Does anyne have a good source?

Return to "you can't judge a book by its cover" page.