[Ads-l] Antedating of "Square" (Slang Term)

[Ben Zimmer]

I shared this one on ADS-L way back in 2008, along with a 1939 example of
"square from Delaware" that doesn't necessarily imply unhipness.

https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2008-September/084293.html


On Mon, Mar 10, 2025 at 9:46 AM Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu> wrote:

> square (OED, 16.a., 1944; Green 1943)
>
> 1940 New York Amsterdam News 2 Mar. 21 (ProQuest)
>
> So don't be the "square from Delaware," just lace up your boots and "dig
> that jive."
>
>
>

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