[Ads-l] "Signifying Monkey" Early Citations

[Shapiro, Fred]

signifying monkey (not in OED)

1945 _Plaindealer_ (Kansas City, Kan.) 16 Feb. 3/2 (America's Historical Newspapers)

Always go to Jean's Barbeque and get your radio-water, it makes you broadcast over stations-i-g-n-i-f-y! I'll say it's worse than the signifying monkey. The crowingest chick on the scene Sunday was Georgia Stallings.


1945 _Cleveland Call and Post_ 8 Sept. 2B (ProQuest)

In George L. Lee's "Interesting People," had a few facts about Dooley Wilson, and how about confirmation that Dooley "cannot play the piano, as I want to put an end to a certain signifying monkey, and thanks."

Fred Shapiro

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