Tenny Runners (tennis shoes) (1965)

Fri Sep 22 17:20:25 UTC 2006

On Sep 22, 2006, at 8:31 AM, Jon Lighter wrote:

> "Sneakers" (not to mention "sneaks") must have begun as slang: the
> rubber soles were conducive to sneaking.

yes.  that's clear in the OED entry.

>   By my day, however, it was a neutral and perfectly standard
> designator.

yup, and unconnected in our minds with sneaking.  sort of like
"sweater".

arnold

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