Wetback (1944)

[Jonathan Lighter]

Swim first, then walk to your left.

  JL

Dave Hause <dwhause at JOBE.NET> wrote:
  ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Dave Hause
Subject: Re: Wetback (1944)
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Swim across at Juarez and turn left?
Dave Hause, dwhause at jobe.net
Waynesville, MO
----- Original Message -----
From: James A. Landau

On Thu 10/26/06 12:17 AM Barry Popik (Bapopik at AOL.COM) quoted the OED:

" 1972 Observer (Colour Suppl.) 28 May 28/1 Last year in California alone,
border patrols turned back
27,000 wetbacks (the contemptuous name derives from their practice of
swimming
the Rio Grande to reach the US). "

Could someone please explain how one can get from Mexico to California by
swimming the the Rio Grande?
- Jim Landau

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