Saying 'bring home the bacon' may become politically incorrect if veganism spreads, researcher warns

Yes, you'll still need to "bring home the bacon" in order to keep a roof over your head — but actually uttering the phrase might land you in the politically incorrect penalty box if the influence of veganism grows, one researcher warned.

Shareena Z. Hamzah of Swansea University in Wales noted that "it may very well be that down the line powerful meat metaphors are eschewed" in order to avoid those who abhor slaughtering animals for food.

"Some shift in language is inevitable," she added.

'New modes of expression'

"The increased awareness of vegan issues will filter through our consciousness to produce new modes of expression," Hamzah declared in her article titled, "How the rise of veganism may tenderise fictional language."

And what might these new modes of expression look like?

Well, she linked to an article by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for some examples:

• "Kill two birds with one stone" could turn into "feed two birds with one scone."
• "Take the bull by the horns" could become "take the flower by the thorns."
• "Be the guinea pig" could turn into "be the test tube."
• "Beat a dead horse" could become "feed a fed horse."
• "More than one way to skin a cat" could turn into "more than one way to peel a potato."
• Oh, and if you're apt to say "bring home the bacon," you instead might want say "bring home the bagels."

"If veganism forces us to confront the realities of food's origins, then this increased awareness will undoubtedly be reflected in our language and our literature," Hamzah noted.