has my back

[Bob Haas]

Perhaps, but I believe--without having heard the NPR piece--that "got my back"
is rooted more in who is covering one's back.  Numerous cop shows and movies
use this phrase.  Cop one:  "I'm goin' in."  Cop two:  "I got your back."

Proof once again, that scholarship can benefit from a high TV-Q.

"Donald M. Lance" wrote:

> This afternoon I heard a Virginia student in an NPR interview say that who
> or what has his back is God. This was in response to a question about where
> kids get their sense of appropriate behavior.
>
> Familar to anyone?  I suppose it may have its roots in "monkey on my back"
> or "my mother is on my back" etc.
> DMLance

--

Bob Haas
Department of English
University of North Carolina at Greensboro

                   "No matter where you go, there you are."