"Connecring the dots": origin?

[Alison Murie]

On May 4, 2010, at 12:31 AM, Wilson Gray wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "Connecring the dots": origin?
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>
> "Mumbletypeg involves tossing a pocketknife into the ground in a
> progressively more difficult competition usually limited to two
> players. If the knife tossed by a player does not stick in the bare
> ground, the player loses *his* turn."
>
> This is the version of mumble-peg [m^m@ pEg] that we played in Saint
> Louis in the '40's. The possibility that a *girl* might have played
> this game in those days is *ridiculous*, for any number of reasons,
> including the fact that girls didn't carry knives or even have pockets
> in their dresses or skirts in which to carry one, any more than they
> had six-inch spike heels, thong panties, or WonderBras. I'd bet money
> that no woman alive today who was alive in those days has any idea
> what this game is and may not even have heard of it.
>
> There really has to be a sensible limit put to this
> no-"sexism"-in-language crap.
>
> -Wilson
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You'd lose that bet, Wilson.  I knew about mumbletypeg, had a knife,
and had boots with a knife pocket, not to mention plenty of pockets in
overalls, jodpurs & even skirts. No spike heels, thong panties or
wonder bras (or Victoria's secrets).  'Course I didn't live in St.
Louis (but my mother was born & grew up there).
AM

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