Quiz: Bible Catchphrases

Ham is one of Noah's three sons (Ham, Shem, Japheth) from whom "the whole earth was inhabited" after the Flood. From the Bible narration we see that he was disrespectful to his father, in consequence of which his son (Noah's grandson) – Canaan – was cursed (Gen. 9:25). Earlier in the Russian language the word "хам – kham" did not exactly correspond to the modern meaning "ill-mannered rude person", but was synonymous with the word "slave, mob" remembering the unfortunate Canaanites. It is enough to mention the swear word "boorish brat" or the famous proverb "there will be no master from a boor". The word quickly became part of the common language of the nobility, by which it used to refer to the lower classes. Today, the word "ham" means a rude, ill-mannered person.