AW: [sw-l] Chicken Scratch

[CWren at DOE.K12.GA.US]

[[When your  German chickens scratch and find something to eat, that is 
also known idiomatically as "chicken scratch" meaning something small 
or not worth very much. For example, if I'm in a low paying job, I 
might say that I'm just working for "chicken scratch".]]

I always heard that referred to as "chicken feed"  ::grin::   I get paid 
'chicken feed' to work here at GSD.  I also heard the idiom derived from 
the old days where employers might pay the workers in barter... so they 
might actually get paid in =real= chicken feed, (as opposed to cow feed, 
which would be worth more?). Today it just means 'pay next to nothing'.

---------------------------------
Cherie Wren
GSD Staff Interpreter
232 Perry Farm Rd
Cave Spring, GA 30124
706-777-2328
706-766-0766 Cell

This message and any included attachments are from the Georgia School for 
the Deaf and are intended only for the addressee(s). The information 
contained herein may include privileged or otherwise confidential 
information. If you have received this message in error, please contact 
the sender immediately, and delete it from your system.



"Neil Bauman" <neil at HEARINGLOSSHELP.COM> 
Sent by: owner-sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
01/04/2007 07:34 AM
Please respond to
sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu


To
sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
cc

Subject
Re: AW: [sw-l] Chicken Scratch






Hi Stefan:

>thanks for this lesson - perhaps I will try to write an animated chicken
>doing his job at best as possible - just as chickens do!

Cheri and others have given excellent definitions of using "chicken 
scratch" as a verb. But it is also used as a noun with yet another 
meaning.

When your  German chickens scratch and find something to eat, that is 
also known idiomatically as "chicken scratch" meaning something small 
or not worth very much. For example, if I'm in a low paying job, I 
might say that I'm just working for "chicken scratch".

You just have to love English idioms where a "fat chance" and a "slim 
chance" are the same size, yet a "wise man" and a "wise guy" are 
opposites! LOL

Regards

                                         Neil


Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
Center for Hearing Loss Help
49 Piston Court
Stewartstown, PA 17363
Phone: (717) 993-8555
FAX: (717) 993-6661
Email: neil at hearinglosshelp.com
Website: http://www.hearinglosshelp.com





-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/sw-l/attachments/20070104/2691179e/attachment.htm>