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"Think on your sins"

Seven_Point_Six_FiveSeven_Point_Six_Five Southern California
edited April 2013 in General Discussion Posts: 1,257
The wording of the phrase has me scratching my head. Particularly the word "on". Here in the US, I have never heard anyone use the idiom "Think on...". We're more likely to hear "Think about..." or "Think of...".

Is it common to use the phrase "think on..." in the UK? I know its kind of a silly topic for a thread but I'm quite curious.

Comments

  • Sir_James_MoloneySir_James_Moloney
    edited April 2013 Posts: 388
    "Think on..." is an unusual phase in the UK but is used occasionally. One might say, "think on it" rather than "think about it" but it's quite old-fashioned.

    But Silva's message to M is a reference to Shakespeare. Othello tells Desdemona to "think on thy sins"
  • TuuliaTuulia
    Posts: 2,081
    Oh really? That's interesting. I wondered about that myself, and English being a foreign language, and never having read Shakespeare, either, well... But I was thinking I must be missing something here... Thanks.
  • Seven_Point_Six_FiveSeven_Point_Six_Five Southern California
    Posts: 1,257
    Sir_James_Moloney wrote:
    But Silva's message to M is a reference to Shakespeare. Othello tells Desdemona to "think on thy sins"

    Shakespeare... that'll explain why I'm not familiar with it. :))
  • SoundofthesinnersSoundofthesinners
    Posts: 3,236
    Somebody over at TVTropes had a good point: "The message Silva sends to M in his video is "Think on your sins". Abbreviated, it spells T.O.Y.S., or "toys". Silva feels M sees her agents simply as toys, who she may throw away once she tires of them. "
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited April 2013 Posts: 28,694
    Seven_Point_Six_Five wrote:
    The wording of the phrase has me scratching my head. Particularly the word "on". Here in the US, I have never heard anyone use the idiom "Think on...". We're more likely to hear "Think about..." or "Think of...".

    Is it common to use the phrase "think on..." in the UK? I know its kind of a silly topic for a thread but I'm quite curious.

    I love the structure of the phrase, and it doesn't sound odd to me. Though, considering I love old literature (back when people really knew how to write) that makes sense. It is so foreign to many Americans because our writing has lost any sense of drama and eloquence. Some are bringing it back, though, and I hope to as well in the future.
  • Division_00Division_00 Atlanta, GA, USA
    edited October 2017 Posts: 66
    Ah, "think on your sins"! This phrase was known to me years before Skyfall came out. I was raised a Roman Catholic, and boy, oh boy, have I heard "think on your sins". In this context, "think" is a synonym for "reflect", so it means "reflect on your sins" or "examine your conscience". I'm not sure if this is Biblical, I just know that it's very archaic and is connected to the Sacrament of Confession and examination of conscience.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 13,902
    Think On Your Sins. Think On Thy Sins. TOYS for TOTS.
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote: »
    Seven_Point_Six_Five wrote:
    The wording of the phrase has me scratching my head. Particularly the word "on". Here in the US, I have never heard anyone use the idiom "Think on...". We're more likely to hear "Think about..." or "Think of...".

    Is it common to use the phrase "think on..." in the UK? I know its kind of a silly topic for a thread but I'm quite curious.

    I love the structure of the phrase, and it doesn't sound odd to me. Though, considering I love old literature (back when people really knew how to write) that makes sense. It is so foreign to many Americans because our writing has lost any sense of drama and eloquence. Some are bringing it back, though, and I hope to as well in the future.

    Brady Major: Renaissance man.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    PropertyOfALady wrote: »
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote: »
    Seven_Point_Six_Five wrote:
    The wording of the phrase has me scratching my head. Particularly the word "on". Here in the US, I have never heard anyone use the idiom "Think on...". We're more likely to hear "Think about..." or "Think of...".

    Is it common to use the phrase "think on..." in the UK? I know its kind of a silly topic for a thread but I'm quite curious.

    I love the structure of the phrase, and it doesn't sound odd to me. Though, considering I love old literature (back when people really knew how to write) that makes sense. It is so foreign to many Americans because our writing has lost any sense of drama and eloquence. Some are bringing it back, though, and I hope to as well in the future.

    Brady Major: Renaissance man.

    4 years later, I continue my fight against the belittling and degradation of the amazing English language.
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    Can I join you?
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    PropertyOfALady wrote: »
    Can I join you?

    I think you've already been in the fight.
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    Oh, have I?
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Division_00 wrote: »
    Ah, "think on your sins"! This phrase was known to me years before Skyfall came out. I was raised a Roman Catholic, and boy, oh boy, have I heard "think on your sins". In this context, "think" is a synonym for "reflect", so it means "reflect on your sins" or "examine your conscience". I'm not sure if this is Biblical, I just know that it's very archaic and is connected to the Sacrament of Confession and examination of conscience.

    That's very true..
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,541
    Sir_James_Moloney wrote: »
    But Silva's message to M is a reference to Shakespeare. Othello tells Desdemona to "think on thy sins"

    That's a good one! Thanks for that! I think that must be the origin...
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,218
    If M is Desdemona, Silva is Othello, Bind Cassio (I guess) then who is Iago? Blofeld maybe?
  • mattjoesmattjoes Pay more attention to your chef
    Posts: 7,056
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote: »
    PropertyOfALady wrote: »
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote: »
    Seven_Point_Six_Five wrote:
    The wording of the phrase has me scratching my head. Particularly the word "on". Here in the US, I have never heard anyone use the idiom "Think on...". We're more likely to hear "Think about..." or "Think of...".

    Is it common to use the phrase "think on..." in the UK? I know its kind of a silly topic for a thread but I'm quite curious.

    I love the structure of the phrase, and it doesn't sound odd to me. Though, considering I love old literature (back when people really knew how to write) that makes sense. It is so foreign to many Americans because our writing has lost any sense of drama and eloquence. Some are bringing it back, though, and I hope to as well in the future.

    Brady Major: Renaissance man.

    4 years later, I continue my fight against the belittling and degradation of the amazing English language.

    You doin' a great job, bro!
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,328
    Thanks @Sir_James_Moloney, I wasn't quite aware. Indeed English isn't my native tongue and Shakespeare I know only through that other classic of British culture:




    But I did read 'Think on your sins' as the version 'reflect on your sins', which has a different meaning then 'think about your sins'. Reflecting on them means to improve yourself preventing you from making the same fault again, thinking about them doesn't have this demanding edge to it.
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