"giant steps"/ "may-I"

[Beverly Flanigan]

Oops--I just read Barbara's explanation of scissors steps.  (Reading e-mail
after ten days away.)

Ah, yes--and "Captain, may I?" worked the same way.  But I don't recall
scissors steps--sideways?

At 11:03 PM 7/8/2006, you wrote:
>>"Mother may I" is also the name that I know it by. How it differs from
>>"giant steps" and how they both differ from "red light" I no longer
>>remember.
>
>As I recall, Mother, May I the person moving had to ask permission to
>move forward. Mother would say "John, move two giant steps forward
>and John would have to say Mother, may I? before actually moving
>forward, or be forced to go back to the start.
>
>Red light sounds more like "Steps" (described elsewhere)--the caller
>stands with his/her back to the start line and the movers move
>forward. If a mover is still moving when the caller turns around,
>s/he has to go back to the start line.
>
>Barbara
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org