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I have noticed the recurring expression "I will kill you where you stand".

The first is Worf in Star Trek: First Contact:

We also have Te'alc in Stargate SG-1:

And in Black Panther:

And finally in Archer.

Is this a generally used expression (I've never heard it) or is it a common reference to some earlier work? Or all they all based on the First Contact precedent?

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  • Sorry -- having trouble getting a link to the clip from Archer -- any help appreciated. – ThePopMachine Jul 5 '18 at 20:15
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    It is quite common saying... really. I am not native English speaker and I've heard it plenty. – Yasskier Jul 5 '18 at 20:22
  • It looks like a long standing somewhat common expression: books.google.com/ngrams/… – jejorda2 Jul 5 '18 at 20:23
  • @Yasskier: It's not common to me. Maybe I'm not frequently threatening or being threatened with murder. I assumed it was a brilliant Klingonism. – ThePopMachine Jul 5 '18 at 20:51
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    Ah yes, the thug life that I live :P But seriously, I believe that I've heard it quite commonly in the Western movies or ones taking place around early 1900s – Yasskier Jul 5 '18 at 20:57
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It is quite common saying in English language meaning "I am on the end of my temper, don't anger me or you will regret - I will kill you right here and right now".

The Ngram search for this sentence in books (kudos to jejorda) found that it originated somewhere around 1830 (kudos to Valorum), but its popularity peaked somewhere around early 1900-1910. There is even a painting called "Do you wish me to kill you where you stand?"

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    From the 1830s; books.google.co.uk/… – Valorum Jul 5 '18 at 20:28
  • The earliest I found in Google Books was 1835: books.google.com/…" – Jacob C. Jul 5 '18 at 21:07
  • I am trying to find it in the movies - so far the earliest is 1955 "Being Human" – Yasskier Jul 5 '18 at 21:13
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    Actually it is a threat that under certain circumstances, such as angering me even a tiny little bit more, I will instantly kill you. Not kill you tomorrow, or next year, but right now before you can move a single step - if you do anything to anger me even a tiny little bit more than you already have. – M. A. Golding Jul 5 '18 at 21:21
  • @M.A.Golding point taken - edited. – Yasskier Jul 5 '18 at 21:23

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