How Now Brown Cow

The nonsense phrase "how now brown cow" can be dated back to 1926 when teaching someone the English language and how to pronounce the vowel "o" when it makes its "short" sound. Although not used today, the phrase "how now" was very common, particularly in William Shakespeare's Elizabethan culture (1558-1603). Shakespeare used "how now" in many of his plays as an informal greeting and a "cool, contemporary" way to shorten the longer phrase, "How say you now?" He also used the word to express his characters' emotions.

We see Shakespeare use this in:

• Love's Labor Lost (Act IV Scene III): When the King says, "How now! What is in you?," showing an element of surprise.
•A Midsummer's Night Dream (Act I Scene I): When Lysander say, "How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale? He greet Hermia with an inquiry about her health/well being.

Shakespeare also links "how" to other words/phrases:

• In King Henry V (Act I Scene II) he uses howbiet when King Henry says, "Howbiet they would hold up this Salic law to bar your highness," meaning although they hold up.
• In The Tempest (Act V Scene I) he uses howsoever/howsoe'er when Prospero says, "But, howsoe'er you have been justled from your senses, know for certain I am Prospero," meaning to whatever extent you are confused just know this is certain.

Reading through Shakespeare's works you will find "how" often he actually uses the 3-letter word "how" to express his character's emotions.