101

[Page Stephens]

101 no doubt stems from academic usage in terms of the designation of the
first course in any subject but in my memory before for whatever reason all
too many colleges/universities designated beginning courses by adding the 10
as a prefix to 1 we used to call beginning courses as 1, i.e. Physics 1,
Chemistry 1, English 1, etc. The second courses in the subject would then be
entitled 2, 3, etc.

If anyone out there has any idea where or when 101 replaced 1 I would love
to learn about it.

Page Stephens

PS. why not 1 as opposed to 101.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Barnhart" <barnhart at HIGHLANDS.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: 101


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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Barnhart <barnhart at HIGHLANDS.COM>
> Subject:      Re: 101
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>
> Mandel writes:
> >
> >I hardly expect this usage to be news to any reader of this list, but I
> >was surprised not to find it in dictionaries.
>
> From The Barnhart Dictionary Companion (Vol. 11.2, Winter 1999):
> 101, adj. {m}  elementary; basic.  Standard (used in informal contexts
> dealing especially with social issues; frequency?)
>
> Here's a course for any lawyer who wants to originate business: Friendship
> 101.  The syllabus might read: "How to make friends and deepen
> friendships, listen well, support others and help them feel comfortable in
> your presence."  Sheila Neilson, "Try Adding Civility, Kindness to Law
> School Curriculum," Illinois Legal Times (Nexis), June 1998, p 7
>
> Two books that take this fresh approach are The Strang Cookbook for Cancer
> Prevention-get past the name-and Prevention's Health Guaranteed Cookbook.
> The Prevention book, a spinoff of Prevention magazine, is like "Nutrition
> 101," says editor David Joachim. "We tried to keep the science easy to
> understand."  Kim Pierce, "When good health means great taste," The Dallas
> Morning News (Nexis), May 20, 1998, p 1F
>
> Hats off to "rediscovering Econ 101" (Editorial, Dec. 14).  Businessmen do
> not seem to recognize the relative elasticity of demand for consumer
> durables.  Peter B. Dowling [Springfield, Mass.], "Readers Report: More or
> Less," Business Week (Nexis), Jan. 20, 1975, p 8
>
> Earlier this year, the big media companies launched a new product that
> they were enormously excited about-the Monica Lewinsky story-only to run
> into a lack of enthusiasm from customers.  John Cassidy, "The Political
> Scene: Monicanomics 101," The New Yorker, Sept. 21, 1998, p73
>
> 1975 (but presumed to be earlier).  Semantic shift (specialization): from
> 101, the number for a college course which is on the most basic level,
> such as Psychology 101.
>
> Regards,
> David K. Barnhart, Editor/Publisher
> The Barnhart DICTIONARY COMPANION [quarterly dictionary]