other side
other side (idiom)
/ˈʌðər saɪd/
Meaning
- Refers to the afterlife or spiritual realm beyond death.
- Describes an opposing or contrasting point of view or argument.
- Indicates the far side or opposite physical location.
- Represents the enemy or rival group in a conflict or competition.
- Refers to a transition or different state of existence or experience.
Example Sentences
- After his grandmother passed, he believed she was at peace on the other side.
- To understand the debate better, you should listen to the other side.
- The café is on the other side of the river.
- During the war, many soldiers feared what awaited them on the other side.
- After years of struggle, she finally made it to the other side of poverty.
Synonyms: afterlife; beyond; opposite; elsewhere; rival; heaven; contrast.
Origin and History
Ancient Religious and Mythological Roots
The concept of “the other side” as the afterlife is a strong contender for its earliest abstract usage. Many ancient civilizations, like the Greeks, believed in a distinct underworld or realm of the dead, often separated by a river or boundary. For example, in Greek mythology, Charon, the ferryman, transported souls across the River Styx to Hades, the land of the dead, which was literally “on the other side.” This notion of a journey across a divide to a spiritual realm is found in various cultures, suggesting a common human contemplation of what lies beyond life.
The Journey of Life and Death
The human experience of life as a journey naturally lends itself to the metaphor of “crossing over.” Birth is a crossing from one state to another, and death is seen as the ultimate crossing. This fundamental understanding of existence likely contributed to the widespread adoption of the phrase to denote both the end of life and the transition to whatever comes next.
From Physical Barriers to Abstract Concepts
It is highly probable that the literal understanding of “the other side” (e.g., the other side of a river, a mountain, or a fence) gradually extended to more abstract concepts. When people overcame a physical obstacle, they were “on the other side” of it. This idea of passing a barrier and reaching a new state could have easily transitioned to mental, emotional, or situational challenges.
The Influence of Fables and Proverbs
Many proverbs and fables across different cultures use the idea of “the other side” to convey moral lessons or observations about human nature. For instance, the proverb “the grass is always greener on the other side” highlights human dissatisfaction and the tendency to idealize what one does not possess. While this proverb has its own distinct history, it reinforces the widespread use of “the other side” as a conceptual space of difference or desire.
Country of Origin and Earliest Printed Record
A Phrase Without a Single Country
Pinpointing a single country for the origin of “the other side” is not possible due to its diverse meanings and its deep roots in various cultural and linguistic developments. The concept of “the other side” as the afterlife, for instance, has parallels in ancient Greek, Egyptian, and many other cultures, long before the English language as we know it existed. The evolution of the English idiom likely occurred over centuries, influenced by various literary, religious, and everyday contexts.
Early Literary Appearances
One of the earliest instances in print of “the other side” in the context of death and the afterlife appears in John Bunyan’s widely circulated book Pilgrim’s Progress, published in 1684. The passage reads:
“When the Day that he must go hence, was come, many accompanied him to the River side, into which, as he went, he said, Death, where is thy Sting… So he passed over, and the Trumpets sounded for him on the other side.”
This particular usage strongly links “the other side” to the journey into the afterlife and likely popularized the phrase in this context among English speakers.
Additionally, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, written around 1710, also uses the phrase “through death, and beyond death, and are so taken up with their” referring to what lies on “the other side” of death for believers.
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