'Bobonkt'

[James Smith]

bonbons?

--- Stephen Goranson <goranson at DUKE.EDU> wrote:

> > The diary clearly says "bobonkt" but it may be a
> misspelling: the
> > writer was a
> > 14-year-old girl in the northern hills of
> Arkansas, near Batesville
> > (not in the
> > West as I mistakenly said in my earlier posting).
> People also asked about the
> > context, which is this: "I felt like talking a
> walk, so I walked to Mrs
> > Maxwell's to get some bobonkt."
>
> I agree with those who suggest that yet more context
> information (or an
> image of
> the page) may be needed to read this since a word
> bobonkt apparently does not
> exist. What are her spelling and handwriting and
> abbreviation (and code?)
> habits? Does she drink bourbon? Feed birds? Eat
> African dishes? Walk other
> times? Mention Mrs Maxwell again? In addition to the
> transcription question is
> word separation. "to get some bobo" allegedly
> appears in take one of a Beatles
> song--obviously anachronistic, but perhaps
> illustrative of other possible
> readings even if to get some bobo nkt is unlikely in
> this case. Another
> WAG: to
> have her hair cut or done up in a bob fashion.
>
> Stephen Goranson
>
>
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> http://www.americandialect.org
>


James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.

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