F**king-A

[Dennis R. Preston]

>I grew up as culturally distant from New England as one can get in
>Americaa (Louisville, KY), and I was a "fucking-a" user by 1946 or
>so. Us Louisville kids had no doubts that the "a" was "ass-hole."

dInIs



>I doubt that 60+ New Englanders would be good authorities on the expression.
>I am 58 and also remember it from my early college days(1962).
>
>In "The F Word" by Jesse Sheidlower,
>"Fucking A" was certainly in use in WWII.  But those "60+" NE'ders weren't
>around in WWII to know that, were they?  They probably associate the two
>because Flying A gasoline was so prevalent? in NE.
>
>--Sam Clements
>
>
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David Bergdahl" <bergdahl at OAK.CATS.OHIOU.EDU>
>To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 1:35 PM
>Subject: F**king-A and on accident
>
>
>  1.  At lunch today one of the group claimed that the expression "f**king-A"
>  was a play on Flying-A gas stations, a New England chain--someone mentioned
>  Tidewater Oil.  The two people we heard it from were 60+ New Englanders.
>  Any insight from the group?

--
Dennis R. Preston
Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics & Germanic, Slavic,
      Asian & African Languages
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1027
e-mail: preston at msu.edu
phone: (517) 353-9290