pearl-clutching

[Alice Faber]

On 8/12/11 1:25 PM, victor steinbok wrote:
> A number of liberal-leaning blogs used the "pearl-clutching" metaphor in the
> last few days. TalkingPointsMemo used it twice in the last 24 hours. Yet, I
> am not even sure they are all using it in the same manner. StraightDope had
> a discussion on this in 2005, but there was no clear resolution--there
> appear to be two competing explanation, both, of course, involving grabbing
> pearl necklaces in excitement. One is simply a mark of being excited,
> shocked or upset, the other adds a connotation of being prissy or
> unfashionable, which gives it an air of flakiness. There is some agreement
> /and/ disagreement on the latter--some prefer the narrow meaning, others are
> unhappy with it. UD has "clutching my pearls" entry that helpfully suggests
> "A new phrase among the gay Maryland circle". On second thought, it does
> sound like something RuPaul (or Church Lady) might say.
>
> Any thoughts on origin/meaning? It appears too new to show up in any
> dictionaries.
I've been on Ravelry (a knitting/crocheting/spinning social network) for
about 4 years. In one of the forums I participate in, "pearl clutching"
is regularly used as a pejorative, describing someone who "tsk tsks" in
disapproval at some action or statement. The disapproval, with or
without prissy-face, is key.


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Alice Faber                                    faber at haskins.yale.edu
Haskins Laboratories                           tel: (203) 865-6163 x258
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