On the contrary, it would probably discourage them. If this idiom had been coined today, it would have meant something different and it certainly wouldn't have encouraged anyone to share their thoughts. A penny has no value these days, people don't even bother to pick pennies up from the ground. It's so obvious that this idiom is not new. I just hope that they don't misunderstand this saying and think that it implies their thoughts are worth little.ĭid the phrase "my two cents" come from this idiom? They sound very similar. I heard "a penny for your thoughts" in a song recently, so the new generation is familiar with this saying. It shows that you care for them, it's nice. In fact, you're even willing to pay them for it. I agree with the other comment here that this is a great idiom because it truly shows that you have a vested interest in what the other person is thinking. If the estimation is correct, that's not bad at all. I think I had once seen a calculation of what a penny would have been worth back then, and the writer estimated that it would have been around $40 today. March 8, There is no exact date for this idiom, but it's supposed to have come about between 1400s and 1600s. You should understand the mention though to define the difference in the two. Just because it is a conversation piece, rhetorically mentioning currency doesn't make them similar. "Two cents" is more an offering of an opinion. A rhetorical offering of money shows genuine commitment to listen and to lend an ear to someone who appears to be bothered or upset by something on their mind. "Penny for your thoughts" is a polite gesture to listen to someone and show concern.
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