[Ads-l] blind fish

Stephen Goranson goranson at DUKE.EDU
Tue Feb 5 13:09:31 UTC 2019


I'm not familiar with it and don't claim to know.

That said, here's a reply that someone else may improve.

It goes back at least to 1922:

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt/search?q1=%22blind+fish%22&id=mdp.39015092851917&view=1up&seq=5

As for internet-available guesses, I'm not sure of their utter bogosity. In, e.g., a meatless Lent, allowing fish, and then a step down or alternative "blind fish" substitute, might could happen.

Perhaps vaguely analogous: a pin as an eyeless needle.

Currently unreliable narrator (except that I told you I am),

SG



________________________________
From: American Dialect Society <...> on behalf of Michael J. Sheehan <...>
Sent: Monday, February 4, 2019 1:02 PM
To: ...
Subject: [ADS-L] blind fish

Blind fish seems to be a term for French toast, especially in German-American communities. Can someone explain the origin of the term? I discount a couple of bogus-sounding explanations found on the internet.

Michael J. Sheehan

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