paper of/and pins

Arnold Zwicky zwicky at STANFORD.EDU
Mon Mar 2 16:20:55 UTC 2009


On Mar 2, 2009, at 8:02 AM, Barbara Need wrote:

> Arnold,
>
> I don't know this particular song, but I am familiar with a paper of
> pins. It is a sheet of paper with pins stuck through it. I don't know
> if they come that way anymore, but I certainly remember using pins
> stuck through a piece of paper. The paper had been folded so that the
> pins had little ridges to go through, and I remember being very
> careful to put the pins back through the holes.

ah, that makes sense.  i'm familiar with needles treated this way, but
it would make sense for pins to be similarly treated.

i'm not sure why pins would be an inducement to marriage.  but the
inducements do start small and then escalate: a feathery bed with a
downy pillow, then (in one version) "my house, my money, my wedding
ring".

arnold

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



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