Go(ld) Fish!

[Evan Morris]

At 11:44 PM 8/1/99 , Greg Pulliam wrote:

>I have told them that it is likely that they are both right, but that
>I would submit the question to this list for confirmation or denial.
>It looks like _Goldfish_ is an eastern phenomenon, while _Go Fish_ is
>the midwestern version, but is this really the case?  We have just
>begun a weeklong stay together on Drummond Island, MI, so we will all
>be looking forward anxiously to hearing from those of you who care to
>respond, or who have time to respond.


I grew up in Connecticut playing "Go fish" and never heard it called
"goldfish."  Doesn't the name "Go fish" derive from the response one player
gives another who has asked the first player for a card from a specific
suit ("Got any spades?")?  I always took "Go fish" as meaning "I don't have
one, you'll have to pull another  card ("go fishing") from the pile."


--
Evan Morris
words1 at word-detective.com
http://www.word-detective.com