"go figure"

[Gregory {Greg} Downing]

At 03:06 PM 5/16/2001 -0400, Jesse Sheidlower wrote:
>I had thought Barry did something on this, but all I see on the
>archives is a lot of people saying "Go figure...". Does anyone
>know how far back this goes? Nothing in Tamony, FWIW.
>

I remember it from the 1980s in NYC, so I checked LEXIS-NEXIS (just the
"major newspapers" option; I'm short on time). A 17 Nov. 83 Tom Shales TV
column in the Wash. Post was the earliest hit. Hope this helps.

I know I never heard "go figure" in the 70s (i.e., when I was in the
Midwest, and then among a mix of American expatriates overseas). Based on
where I first heard it had always assumed, without research, that it was
maybe an east-coast big-city locution.

You guys need access to a LEXIS-NEXIS account if you don't already have it!

Best, GD


Greg Downing, at greg.downing at nyu.edu or gd2 at nyu.edu