square from Delaware (1939)

[Tom Dalzell]

Sometimes we neglect the obvious - present company included.

Square: an un-hip person.
Cab Calloway: The New Cab Calloway's Cat-Ologue (Revised 1939 edition)

Tom Dalzell

On Sep 3, 2008, at 12:57 PM, Benjamin Zimmer wrote:

> ---
> 1939 _New York Amsterdam News_ [Dan Burley's "Backdoor Stuff"] 27 May
> 20/1 "Lawd! I'm a square from Delaware, a Lane from Spokane, a killer
> from Manila and a Home from Rome," Allen Drew beats out.
> ---
> 1940 _New York Amsterdam News_ 2 Mar. 21/2 So don't be the "square
> from Delaware," just lace up your boots and "dig this jive."
> ---
>
> Also c. 1940, Fats Waller released a song called "(You're a) Square
> From Delaware" (Bluebird B-10730, B-side of "Send Me Jackson"). And I
> believe the expression shows up in the 1941 movie _Ball of Fire_. Is
> this the origin for "square" = 'unhip person'?
>
>
> --Ben Zimmer
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org