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How did you know that I am lazy, Judy - you are quite right. It is my defining characteristic, after intuitive understanding, wit and orneriness (US term). Dang it. My mother never sold her mangle, she dumped it when she finally got a washing machine. I loved that mangle. Never did like all those new-fangled gadgets. Wet behind the ears comes from ranches, cowboys (a lot of them black but not in westerns) check behind ears of calves to see if they were recently born, thus proving something or other. mj Creator - A comedian whose audience is afraid to laugh. H.L.Mencken ----- Original Message ----- From: Judy Prince To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 1:07 PM Subject: Re: question (UK) Oh, Martin, I should've known that it, too, is a British term. Do USAmericans have any original thoughts?! <wail weep gnash> Judy who wonders about the expressions "wet behind the ears" and "Has your mother sold her mangle yet?" Justin Case you wish to further research, you lazy bloke. 2009/5/8 Martin Walker <[log in to unmask]> > I've come in late on this grisly question: my Shorter Oxford says [abbr. by > me] > Guy [...] 1806 1. An effigy of Guy Fawkes [...] 2. A person of grotesque > looks or dress; a fright 1836. 3. A man, fellow (US Slang) 1896. > I've always preferred the second of these - as in "Grisly guys some of them > turn out" 1836. > mj > Creator - A comedian whose audience is afraid to laugh. > H.L.Mencken > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Judy Prince > To: [log in to unmask] > Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 10:46 AM > Subject: Re: question (UK) > > > All y'all bloody blokes, and not the one of ya knows it's a USAmerican > stoopid term ["guy"]. The other two terms, chap and bloke, originate from > England. > Judy > > 2009/5/8 David Bircumshaw <[log in to unmask]> > > > Same here in Leicester. The place is swimming with 'blokes'. 'chap' isn't > > ubiquitous, you hear of him now and gain, but as for 'guy', well, I > haven't > > seen him in ages. I wondered how he was doing: so he's found himself a > spot > > in the TLS then? > > best > > > > dave > > > > 2009/5/8 Mark Weiss <[log in to unmask]> > > > > > "Bloke" is alive and well in Glasgow. > > > > > > > > > At 09:49 PM 5/7/2009, you wrote: > > > > > >> when were "chap" and "bloke" replaced by the ubiquitous and classless > > >> "guy"? > > >> > > >> question asked by reviewer in the current TLS online > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> ------------------------------------------------------------ > > >> This email was sent from Netspace Webmail: http://www.netspace.net.au > > >> > > > > > > > > > -- > > David Bircumshaw > > "Nothing can be done in the face > > of ordinary unhappiness" - PP > > Website and A Chide's Alphabet > > http://www.staplednapkin.org.uk > > The Animal Subsides http://www.arrowheadpress.co.uk/books/animal.html > > Leicester Poetry Society: http://www.poetryleicester.co.uk > > >