Carded vs Proofed

[Lynne Murphy]

Jesse, we seem to have contradictory definitions of 'New York' and where
the 'proof' isogloss might be.  Looks like there's room enough for all of
us in that state after all.

Lynne

--On Thursday, May 24, 2001 10:30 am -0400 Jesse Sheidlower
<jester at PANIX.COM> wrote:

>> A New Yorker recently told me that there you are "proofed" when asked to
>> show proof of age at a store. In the Midwest, and elsewhere, I've only
>> heard "carded." What's the distribution of "proofed"?
>
> I've had this discussion a very great deal, starting with when I left
> New York to go to college in the Midwest and couldn't figure out what
> the hell this "carded" thing was. As far as I can determine after much
> inquiry, "proof" is limited strictly to the New York metropolitan
> area, including suburban Long Island and Westchester and New Jersey
> but not including exurban Connecticut and NJ.
>
> Best,
>
> Jesse Sheidlower
> OED



M Lynne Murphy
Lecturer in Linguistics
School of Cognitive and Computing Sciences
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 9QH
UK

phone +44-(0)1273-678844
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