"giant steps"/ "may-I"

[Jonathan Lighter]

I don't recall "scissor steps" at all.  Should add that "redlight, greenlight" was also a name for what I think was the same game.

  JL

Barbara Need <nee1 at MIDWAY.UCHICAGO.EDU> wrote:
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Poster: Barbara Need
Subject: Re: "giant steps"/ "may-I"
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>Never heard it called "Captain, May I?," but I recall that "baby
>steps" were the opposite of "giant steps."

And there were also scissor steps.

Barbara

> JL
>
>Beverly Flanigan wrote:
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>-----------------------
>Sender: American Dialect Society
>Poster: Beverly Flanigan
>Subject: Re: "giant steps"/ "may-I"
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Is this the same game we called "Captain, may I?" Weren't there giant
>steps and baby steps and other options I can't recall?
>
>At 10:39 PM 7/7/2006, you wrote:
>>Neither of these is in OED, though both name for the children's game were
>>current in NYC in the mid '50s. "Giant steps" should be included because
>>Neil Armstrong's words from the Moon alluded to it.
>>
>> 1926 _Elementary School Journal_ (Feb.) XXVI 427: A group of children
>> were playing a game of "May-I" in connection with their language work.
>>
>> 1953 Douglas Wallop _Night Light_ (N.Y.: Norton) 67: I want to play
>> Giant Steps. I'm having fun.
>>
>> JL
>>
>>
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