Reporter seeks ads-l help on restaurant lingo

[Michael Adams]

I recommend two articles by me! One is "Elliptical 'with'" and the other "The Server's Lexicon," both in "American Speech," 1997 and 1998 respectively.

'86' has been identified as one of many numerical designations in New York City soda counter/diner code of the 20's and 30's, the only item of that code to become generally know -- I don't have it in front of me, but "The Server's Lexicon" includes in the entry for '86' a cite from Safire that gives some other items in the code.

An excellent book in which to find some restaurant jargon "active" is called "Waiting," and it's cited in the same article.

The reporer is welcome to contact me, at MAdams1448 at aol.com or 610-375-8840, if I could be useful to her -- I've done a little subsequent work on the topic, though not much.