Anal

Bob Haas highbob at MINDSPRING.COM
Fri Feb 15 16:52:06 UTC 2002


In 1977's ANNIE HALL, Annie (Diane Keaton) complains to Alvy Singer (Woody
Allen) as they wait on line about having to wait for the next movie show
time because they missed a few moments of the opening credits.  Alvy replies
that he has to see a movie from beginning to end: "My analyst says it's
because I'm anal."

Annie replies: "That's a nice word for what you are."

Alvy's sense of anal must derive from anal retentive, while Annie's ironic
reply implies the sense that I believe many people employ when they use it.

In either case, it's loads of fun!

On 2/15/02 9:44 AM, "James Smith" <jsmithjamessmith at YAHOO.COM> wrote:

> One of my daughters (23 yrs)occasionally uses the
> single word ?anal? to describe someone (no, not
> me!)who is petty or overbearing, but I once described
> a person's behavior (no, not her's!)as ?anal
> retentive? and she gave me a look that indicated to me
> that she not only made no connection between her usage
> and mine, but was actually somewhat offended by my use
> of the phrase.
--

Bob Haas
Department of English
High Point University

"Wherever you go, there you are."



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