Mixed Bathing (East Texas); Mixed Swimming (West Texas)

Sat Sep 1 00:44:26 UTC 2007

"Bathing" was commonly used in NYC in the late 18th CM & early 19th C for situations where we would be likely to write "swimming".
As for "mixing" --
        Brighton. -- On Saturday last the most novel scene presented itself at this celebrated watering place, ever beheld in this country.  On the evening and night previous, from two to three hundred carriages of all descriptions arrived there, and the next day was seen about noon, between four and five hundred persons of different ages and sexes, but in suitable dresses, within the distance of one mile, all bathing promiscuously together.
        N-Y Evening Post, August 6, 1811, p. 3, col. 3

GAT

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.

----- Original Message -----
From: Barry Popik <bapopik at GMAIL.COM>
Date: Friday, August 31, 2007 12:43 pm
Subject: Mixed Bathing (East Texas); Mixed Swimming (West Texas)
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU

> "Mixed bathing"/"Mixed swimming" is not in DARE, OED? Anyone have any
> thoughts about the distinction made here?
> ...
> ...
> ...
> (Google Books)
>  <i>Riding the Wind of God:</i>
> <i>A Personal History of the Youth Revival Movement</i>
> by Bruce McIver
> Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Inc.
> 2002
> Pg. 200
> ..."What about mixed bathing?" ("mixed bathing" in East Texas; "mixed
> swimming" in West Texas!)...
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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