Goosepimples

[Beverly Flanigan]

I don't know the date of the Stein books, but a grad student from western
Virginia (Roanoke area) had never heard of 'goose pimples' until I said it
was my usage; she always used 'goose bumps'.  Is it regional basically,
perhaps modified by books and schooling (rather like the seesaw/teeter
totter switch)?

At 02:56 PM 4/19/2005, you wrote:
>At 11:43 AM -0700 4/19/05, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>>"Goosepimples" is the word I learned and used in childhood, but I
>>switched to "goosebumps" in later life to save a syllable.
>>
>>JL
>
>Besides the economy issue, I'm sure that R. L. ["no relation to Frank
>N.] Stein's immensely popular Goosebumps series of kids' mystery
>stories will promote the bisyllabic version for future generations.
>
>L
>
>>"Mullins, Bill" <Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL> wrote:
>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>-----------------------
>>Sender: American Dialect Society
>>Poster: "Mullins, Bill"
>>Subject: Re: Goosepimples (1996); Keeping it real
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>OED has 1889 for goose pimples.
>>
>>THE GERMAN BED.
>>The Washington Post (1877-1954); Jan 28, 1883; ProQuest Historical
>>Newspapers The Washington Post (1877 - 1988)
>>pg. 3 col 8
>>"If I tried to cover my shoulders, my feet got so cold that the nails
>>nearly dropped off and when I tried to save my toenails my shoulders
>>were covered with goose pimples as big as hazel nuts."
>>
>>
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