"pins & needles"?

[paulzjoh]

My background, 67 YO Chicago upbringing:
Pins and Needles= nervous excitement
tenterhooks = nervous suspense

I tend to lay the misuse of what were once popular expressions, and even
standard english, to the lack of a general education on the part of the
users. When I was in grade and high school, english was stressed as part of
a general education.  I truly believe that people of my age could not have
got out of college with out understanding the difference between these two
phrases.
Perhaps we need a Microsoft Word product that diagrams sentences.  It makes
me wonder if our schools have become to goal orientated and are emphasising
a speciality at all costs over a well rounded education.
> > In describing the state of alarm & nervous expectation experienced by
> > people in the D.C. area because of the recent sniper shootings, a
reporter
> > on NPR this morning used the expression  "on pins & needles" where I'd
> > have expected "on tenterhooks."  Anyone else find this odd?
> > A. Murie
>
>
>
> _________________________________________
> "We are all New Yorkers"
>        --Dominique Moisi
>