good people

[James Smith]

I've heard it occasionaly throughout my life.  To me
it is not at all elitist, does not mean "good lineage"
(although what that means is open to interpretation);
to me it means that the family is functional and it's
members are reputed to be hard-working, trustworthy,
honest, etc.

--- Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OHIOU.EDU> wrote:
> Familiar to me too, for all of my long long
> life--but only in the
> plural.  It's a bit elitist (suggesting good
> lineage), but it was never
> mysterious to me (Minnesota, 1940s on). I don't
> think I've ever heard it in
> the singular.
>
> At 10:22 AM 5/17/2004 -0400, you wrote:
> >Very familiar to me and my family (Washington State
> via Montana); my
> >grandfather used it; he was born in 1906 in
> Nebraska, and his family moved
> >to Montana when he was 3.
> >
> >At 02:54 AM 5/17/04, you wrote:
> >>Does the expression "s/he is good people" have
> wide currency? I would like
> >>to use it in some new contexts, but have heard it
> only in Alaska.
> >>
> >>Also, does the plural (they're good people) work
> with the same meaning? or
> >>is there another form that is used?
> >>
> >>Benjamin Barrett
> >>Baking the World a Better Place
> >>www.hiroki.us


=====
James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.




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