<P> Monkey see, monkey do is a pidgin - style saying that appeared in American culture in the early 1920s . The saying refers to the learning of a process without an understanding of why it works . Another definition implies the act of mimicry, usually with limited knowledge and / or concern for the consequences . </P> <P> The saying could originate from a story in the folklore of Mali, West Africa, made well known by Esphyr Slobodkina's retelling, which she calls Caps for Sale (A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business). This folk - tale is retold by Baba Wagué Diakité in his 1999 book The Hatseller and the Monkeys, set in Mali . Diakité notes that versions of this tale also exist in Egypt, Sudan, India, and England . </P> <P> Jazz singer - songwriter Michael Franks used the saying as the subject and title of his song "Monkey See--Monkey Do" on his 1976 album "The Art of Tea". A television show of the same name aired on PBS Kids Sprout . The phrase is also mentioned in Nirvana's song "Stay Away" from their album Nevermind . </P>

Where did the phrase monkey see monkey do come from
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