needs washed

[Miriam Meyers]

My spouse, a Pittsburgh native, has "needs washed," something that
struck my Southern ear (Atlanta native) as quite strange from the first
time I heard it (36+ years ago).  Neither he nor any of his family
members (at least the ones I know) has "warshed."  (The family combines
Pittsburgh working and middle class backgrounds.)
But here's the interesting observation: Last night Twin Cities Public
Television repeated a Nature film on puppies.  The Scotsman (I BELIEVE
the setting was Scotland) observed of a Border collie pup that he "won't
want petted" under certain circumstances. My ears perked up, of course.
Miriam Meyers


Miriam Meyers
Professor Emerita
Literature and Language
Metropolitan State University
St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota
612-374-5581
miriammeyers at visi.com or
miriam.meyers at metrostate.edu
2000 W. 21st Street
Minneapolis, MN 55405-2414