How do you spell "out in the...."

[Lysander]

Another thread just made me think of this. Is it ...sticks or Styx? I see it spelled "out in the sticks" all the time but shouldn't it be "out in the Styx" referring to the river that circled Hades, i.e. far in the back of beyond? What kind of sense would "out in the sticks" make anyway?

 

[Masterdog]

What kind of sense would "out in the sticks" make anyway?

Presumably, in the countryside, where there are lots of trees and hence lots of sticks. That's what I always assumed, though the Styx thing makes sense.

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

Sticks = trees etc, i.e. the countryside.

http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/out+in+the+sticks.html

 

[hogfather]

It sure ain't styx!

 

[Tom0]

I'd accept either.

 

[Crimefighter]

Its "Sticks" but I like the other interpretation as well =)

 

[Lysander]

Just found a couple of links:

http://www.takeourword.com/TOW111/page1.html

and

http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080418085857AAsuRnm

So the answer does seem to be 'sticks'.

The etymology is American, hence why it didn't make sense to me!

 

[Stinky]

sticks = countryside

 

[J1234]

Styx is an old band isn't it?

 

[Lysander]

Styx is an old band isn't it?

That too. The original word was Greek and referred to the river the formed the boundary between Earth and Hades.

 

[semi-pro waster]

Styx is an old band isn't it?

Yep, most known for Come Sail Away (as murdered by Cartman) and Mr Roboto.

And yes it should be "out in the sticks" to suggest the countryside although I do like the idea of the other.

 

[Roberta]

You know it's yoooooooooooooooooou babe!

 

[Helium_Junkie]

shouldn't it be "out in the Styx" referring to the river that circled Hades, i.e. far in the back of beyond?

So "Out in the sticks" to you means hellish?
To me it means peaceful, serene... somewhere away from bustle.
Admit it, you just wanted to sound clever with your jibber jabber about some river in hades...

 

[Lysander]

Admit it, you just wanted to sound clever with your jibber jabber about some river in hades...

Haha no, I've always genuinely thought that, but it seems I'm incorrect. It's just that the phrase "out in the Styx" made far more sense to me than "out in the sticks".

 

[anksta]

I first heard that in the Godfather where they took that guy to kill him and chucked him in a load of reeds and called them "the sticks" so I just took it to mean miles away.

I've got a mate who we always say lives out in the sticks, he lives like 10 miles from anything in every direction its mad.

 

[grez]

Styx is an old crappy band isn't it?

Yup.

 

[Jonny69]

Sticks, as in the things you used to hit girls with when you were at primary school

 

[Gilly]

Never thought it was Styx. Doesn't make much sense that way.