[Ads-l] "slender"

[Joel Berson]

The OED allows 2. Of things: Small in diameter or width in proportion to length; long and thin; attenuated.  From a1500.  Suitable to get through a seven-inch-wide opening.


I suppose today "slender" is less derogatory than "skinny" or "Twiggy".

Joel

      From: Susan G Yerkes <susanyerkes at UTEXAS.EDU>
 To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU 
 Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2015 12:33 PM
 Subject: [ADS-L] Three usage questions
   
Love this list-serve and have three questions:

1) A story in Friday's NTY on the "Homo Naledi" discovery

(
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/11/science/south-africa-fossils-new-species-human-ancestor-homo-naledi.html?action=click&contentCollection=Fashion%20%26%20Style&module=MostPopularFB&version=Full®ion=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article
)

states that six "slender" women were chosen as the team to slither into the
cave where the bones were found, and that the team members were  referred
to as "underground astronauts."
Does anybody know if this is a new usage?


2) A Sept. 9 NYT story on Donald Trump caps  referred to what I always
thought of "ball caps," "gimme caps" or trucker caps as "classic rope hats."

/
www.nytimes.com/2015/09/13/fashion/trumps-campaign-hat-becomes-an-ironic-summer-accessory.html?/_r=0i

Where can I find an expanded explanation of the names for various versions
of the billed cap?

3) The same NYT story ends with the conjecture that:
  This season’s Trump trucker hat will soon go the way of ‘on fleek.’ ”

What is "on fleek" and where did it come from (and where, or which way, did
it "go"?)

Thanks in advance for any answers,

Susan Yerkes
San Antonio, TX
(Not a member of ADS, but an enthusiastic fan of your discussions)

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


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