Show JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT IBy i iBy By Dy Fronk Frank Colby Q Spick span means neat and trim but where did we ever er get such an expression A. A We Vc shall have to go back a along along long way in the language to uncover uncover uncover un un- un- un cover the tho origin First of all ll spick spick- span and-span is a shortened form of spick span I Spick is on old-fashioned old spelling spelling spelling spell spell- ing of spike the original meaning of of which was a Ita wooden nail Span-new Span in Middle English meant a nc new chip Spick span new then suggests the thc cleanness and freshness of a newly whittled peg and of a new chip In Saxon Anglo-Saxon days it was customary customary customary cus cus- tomary to use fresh chips chips- as spoons The Saxon Anglo-Saxon word for spoon was spon But the primary meaning of spon was a chip chips of wood From spon we have the the I words spoon an implement used t in cooking coolong and eating and span a chip of wood Omaha Where did we get the unlovely sounding word haberdasher haberdasher haber haber- dasher dasher Mrs D D. B B. B A A. One theory is that haberdasher haberdasher haberdasher haber haber- dasher is from an French Anglo-French word the name of a kind of cloth sold at English notions notions notions no no- shops i in iii the century Another theory is that it is from the Icelandic word a knapsack The word haberdasher is obsolescent in American usage In England a haberdashery Is Js a astore astore astore store where small wares are arc sold In America the term was commonly applied to mens men's furnishing furnishing furnishing furn furn- stores Akron A newspaper feature re recently recently recently re- re gave the origin of grass widow as grace widow meaning meaning- a widow through grace of divorce Right Right Right-H H. H. H M M. D D.A. D.A. D. D A. A Sorry wrong Grass widow is Ss from the Low German ewe from the German we a grass widow ido Why the gra gr graBS s no one now knows But it certa certainly did not evolve as a corruption of grace for the obvious reason that grass widow entered English from the German in which there is no such word spelled grace gra e. e Etymology is a tricky business business- it is no subject for dabblers in words Do possessive pronouns stump you Mr Mi Colby's leaflet C 16 gives rives a key which solves the lem To obtain a copy send five live cents in coin and a stamped self self- elf elf- addressed envelope care of The Salt Lake Lae Tribune-Telegram Tribune Home Service Bureau Salt Lake City 10 Utah |