Japanese fire drill

[Sam Clements]

I guess the next question I would have is "when" did you grow up in
Pittsburgh and hear the word.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Patti J. Kurtz" <kurtpatt4 at NETSCAPE.NET>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Friday, September 19, 2003 1:42 PM
Subject: Re: Japanese fire drill


> sclements at NEO.RR.COM wrote:
>
> >It almost certainly was "Chinese fire drill" in most of the US.  If you
> >called it "Japanese fire drill" it might be related to where you lived.
> >
> >Using "Chinese" as a derogatory adjective goes back to the late 1800's.
The
> >actual term "Chinese fire drill" is cited in RHDAS in 1952, but implied
in a
> >1942-5 cite.
> >
> >I called it that in 1961, when we would get out at a light and run around
> >the car.
> >
> >
> >
> I hadn't thought about region affecting the name-- I grew up in
> Pittsburgh and that's what we called it-- but I wonder how being from
> Pittsburgh would have transformed it from 'Chinese" to "Japanese."
>
> Thanks.
>
> Patti
>