Few can resist the temptation of Rocky Road, a delightful ice cream flavour that melds chocolate chips, marshmallow and nuts into a comforting treat. Its origin is a bit of a puzzle. Some suggest that it was William Dreyer, the co-founder of Dreyer’s ice cream, who introduced it in 1929—a nod to the rugged landscape following the Wall Street crash. However, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) traces the name back to a chocolate dessert in an advertisement as early as 1920. Regardless of its lineage, the flavour is a universal winner. Much less so for its lower-case counterpart, rocky road, which refers to a path strewn with rocks, bumps and hollows and is used metaphorically to convey the challenges that we face on our life journey.
Symbols of permanence and eternity, mountains and hills find their way into the language as metaphors of perseverance. For example, the proverb faith can move mountains comes from the Bible. In the Book of Matthew, Jesus preached to his disciples, saying that with faith as small as a mustard seed, one would be able to command a mountain to move. The phrase to move mountains conveys two meanings: to achieve something miraculous and to make every possible effort. In the latter sense, one may also use the phrase to move heaven and earth.
A mountain to climb refers to an arduous task, an expression commonly used in sports commentary when a team faces tremendous difficulty in gearing up for a comeback. The imagery of climbing mountains can also be found in the musical The Sound of Music. Maria, a postulant nun, is torn between her deepening love for Captain von Trapp and her vows to serve God. Mother Abbess encourages Maria to follow her heart and pursue her passions through singing the song “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”. The simple yet powerful lyrics capture the ambience of a challenging journey toward goals and dreams: Climb ev’ry mountain, / Ford ev’ry stream, / Follow ev’ry rainbow / Till you find your dream.
Sometimes views from hilltops are so spectacular and breathtaking that one almost feels compelled to defend them at all costs. A hill to die on, a phrase added to the OED since 2022, has nothing to do with scenery nevertheless. Contrary to its romantic associations, it alludes to a relentless resolve where one will defend a hill or high ground irrespective of its strategic merits. In a broader sense, it refers to an opinion that someone will vehemently defend, whatever the cost. Ultimately, the expression invites people to reflect on whether certain opinions are worth espousing. After all, there is a fine line between tenacity and sheer obstinacy.
