I love druthers. I do use it occasionally. It's a sensible contraction. I found this etymology online: (etynmoline.com)
druthers(n.)
1895, a jocular formation based on I'd ruther, American English dialectal form of I'd rather (used by Bret Harte as drathers, 1875).
I love the Dictionary of Lost Words as well - it sits by my bed.
I also love English (which is now the King's English) and I resisted any need to make editorial changes over to American English when my books were written and published, although it was advised. I was educated in the King's English (the Queen's English when I was at school) and believe it's a truly wonderful and very elastic language. Despite its idiosyncracies, it's been the medium for beautiful literature forever. I'm constantly teaching my grandson correct English and english-isms. He'll probably be glad when Nanny is finally too old to bother...
And I can't see drathers without thinking of Dan Rather. Ha!
Glad you stuck to your guns on keeping the full expression of your "Royal" English for the books. Anything else would not be you!
I imagine your grandson will remember your corrections fondly. He'll probably credit you for helping him land just the right scholarship or job some day.
Ha! I gather from reading comments here that there isn't a shred of druthers that can be claimed fully by the south. Best part of writing pieces like this is what I learn in the process. Thanks, Sandy!
This is an absolutely fabulous trip down expression lane... I'm sure when I denote all my cultural upbringing and that which was added to it with college and graduate school and now with social and political preferences, I have all kinds of expressions that don't make any sense.....except to ME... You've made me think much more deeply about what one says and what one means... There's so many times I have been respectfully in someone's presence and they sling out one of those expressions that I've never heard.... And it's then, that I wish I could understand.... But then again....""If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."
Let's just assume that all the bits and pieces we pick up and stitch into our language makes for a beautifully expressive quilt!
And isn't that closing proverb a potent one? But I'm going to go right on verbalizing wishes and wants. I'm convinced it helps open doors to fulfillment.
1956 -- Wow! I had the great privilege of seeing a number of shows on Broadway and listening to many more, thanks to my mom's records, but Li'l Abner wasn't part of her collection, as far as I know. I just looked up the Wikipedia entry. Sure looks like a show that could still have relevance today. "...the show is, on the surface, a broad spoof of hillbillies, but it is also a pointed satire on other topics, ranging from American politics and incompetence in the United States federal government to propriety and gender roles."
We did Lil Abner as our school play one year in high school Tulare, California. There are a lot of good songs in that musical. One is “If it’s good for General Bullmoose it’s good for the USA,” a reference to General Motors. And I loved a line in “Put ‘em
back the way they was,“ which was about some sort of science experiment on the hillbilly men: “they was long, lean and lanky, but they loved hanky-panky.”
I am now going to buy a copy of the Dictionary of Lost Words. Thank you, Elizabeth! You mold words beautifully. Have a splendid, happy day! (Happy Belated Birthday to you! 🎉🥳 I hope it was glorious!)☀️
Thanks so much, Shauna, for the happy wishes. I had a lovely, simple, weekend-long celebration. I do hope you enjoy the novel. It's one of those I didn't want to end.
The audiobook version is available to me right now through Libby, the library app that offers ebooks and audiobooks for free through local library systems. I have 40 hours to go to finish The Count of Monte Cristo, so I might wait a bit before I borrow it.
A favorite book of mine is "Et Cetera, Et Cetera: notes of a word watcher" by Lewis Thomas.
I remember talking to someone about my love of etymology, but somehow he conversation became about bugs (entomology). Very different.
I like the idea that "pease" was once a collective noun, like "corn". Somewhere along the line someone heard the plural in the sound of "peas". And it stuck.
How does culture decide whose druther wins out over another druther? A question for adrother day!
Thanks, Stew. That looks like a book I need to bring into my library! We have "Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressions" which I want to dust off and spend more time with. It is a reference for terms easily confused/misused, historic and historical, for example, and "for free."
Your etymology/entomology comment make me laugh! And speaking of free, I reflect often on a conversation in which the speaker used emancipated when he meant emaciated.
I think we could explore that last question for whatever is left of our 4,000 weeks.
I'm from the land of druthers, too. Great reflection on the word and the movement of words. (Metanalysis was a new term to me.) As for waiting to see if someone offers a real answer to "how are you doing?"... I think that might take a lot more than a morphing of words in our fast-paced world.
You are so right! And in truth, it would be overwhelming to answer the question in depth with every asking. But I do, sometimes, try to provide a snapshot with responses that, when warranted, offer a touch more truth than just "fine, thanks."
Things like: "How long ya' got?" "Fair to middlin'" "Tricky morning, actually, but the day is still young."
A recurring favorite I'm sure you've heard is "I can't complain -- but I probably will anyway." 🤣
Always appreciate knowing you dropped down the rabbit hole with me, Amy. Thanks.
Druthers is right up there with whether the weather….and as a gal raised up in New Hampshire, I always thought we had the claim on that! Maybe it’s y’all that do:)
Hahahaha!! Good one, John. Actually, I learned from writing this piece that misheard song lyrics have their own term—mondegreen—which has a great story of its own. From Wiki: "The American writer Sylvia Wright coined the term in 1954, recalling a childhood memory of her mother reading the Scottish ballad "The Bonnie Earl o' Moray", and mishearing the words "laid him on the green" as "Lady Mondegreen".
Since my mom spoke "Jersey," maybe I picked it up there, too, in a circuitous path.
This is so clever Elizabeth! And now can you please explain the differences between the Bless Your Hearts. I went to school in Nee Orleans and one of my best friends uses this phrase frequently. My understanding of it is more of an affectionate way of saying how naive someone was, but I want to know more.
Well, it’s definitely a regional phenomenon, and highly contextual. You could maybe think of it like the evolution of using the word “bad” to actually mean good. If I don’t miss my guess, the OG bless your heart was more of an expression of compassion, almost a quick prayer, for someone going through a difficult time. It’s still used that way. But it took a sarcastic turn at some point and now ranges from how your friend uses it to code for “You are a complete idiot.” Tone and facial expressions may or may not offer clues to meaning. 🤣
I love druthers. I do use it occasionally. It's a sensible contraction. I found this etymology online: (etynmoline.com)
druthers(n.)
1895, a jocular formation based on I'd ruther, American English dialectal form of I'd rather (used by Bret Harte as drathers, 1875).
I love the Dictionary of Lost Words as well - it sits by my bed.
I also love English (which is now the King's English) and I resisted any need to make editorial changes over to American English when my books were written and published, although it was advised. I was educated in the King's English (the Queen's English when I was at school) and believe it's a truly wonderful and very elastic language. Despite its idiosyncracies, it's been the medium for beautiful literature forever. I'm constantly teaching my grandson correct English and english-isms. He'll probably be glad when Nanny is finally too old to bother...
And I can't see drathers without thinking of Dan Rather. Ha!
Glad you stuck to your guns on keeping the full expression of your "Royal" English for the books. Anything else would not be you!
I imagine your grandson will remember your corrections fondly. He'll probably credit you for helping him land just the right scholarship or job some day.
Thanks, Prue.
Just wanna (italicized) let you know, I come from a long line of Bostonians speaking of druthers, and I'll follow yours anywhere! 🫶🏼
Ha! I gather from reading comments here that there isn't a shred of druthers that can be claimed fully by the south. Best part of writing pieces like this is what I learn in the process. Thanks, Sandy!
This is an absolutely fabulous trip down expression lane... I'm sure when I denote all my cultural upbringing and that which was added to it with college and graduate school and now with social and political preferences, I have all kinds of expressions that don't make any sense.....except to ME... You've made me think much more deeply about what one says and what one means... There's so many times I have been respectfully in someone's presence and they sling out one of those expressions that I've never heard.... And it's then, that I wish I could understand.... But then again....""If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."
Thanks much, Barry.
Let's just assume that all the bits and pieces we pick up and stitch into our language makes for a beautifully expressive quilt!
And isn't that closing proverb a potent one? But I'm going to go right on verbalizing wishes and wants. I'm convinced it helps open doors to fulfillment.
There's a song in the musical "L'il Abner" called "If I had my druthers."
1956 -- Wow! I had the great privilege of seeing a number of shows on Broadway and listening to many more, thanks to my mom's records, but Li'l Abner wasn't part of her collection, as far as I know. I just looked up the Wikipedia entry. Sure looks like a show that could still have relevance today. "...the show is, on the surface, a broad spoof of hillbillies, but it is also a pointed satire on other topics, ranging from American politics and incompetence in the United States federal government to propriety and gender roles."
Thanks, Fran. 😀
We did Lil Abner as our school play one year in high school Tulare, California. There are a lot of good songs in that musical. One is “If it’s good for General Bullmoose it’s good for the USA,” a reference to General Motors. And I loved a line in “Put ‘em
back the way they was,“ which was about some sort of science experiment on the hillbilly men: “they was long, lean and lanky, but they loved hanky-panky.”
I am now going to buy a copy of the Dictionary of Lost Words. Thank you, Elizabeth! You mold words beautifully. Have a splendid, happy day! (Happy Belated Birthday to you! 🎉🥳 I hope it was glorious!)☀️
Thanks so much, Shauna, for the happy wishes. I had a lovely, simple, weekend-long celebration. I do hope you enjoy the novel. It's one of those I didn't want to end.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dictionary_of_Lost_Words
The audiobook version is available to me right now through Libby, the library app that offers ebooks and audiobooks for free through local library systems. I have 40 hours to go to finish The Count of Monte Cristo, so I might wait a bit before I borrow it.
Happy belated, dear Elizabeth.
A favorite book of mine is "Et Cetera, Et Cetera: notes of a word watcher" by Lewis Thomas.
I remember talking to someone about my love of etymology, but somehow he conversation became about bugs (entomology). Very different.
I like the idea that "pease" was once a collective noun, like "corn". Somewhere along the line someone heard the plural in the sound of "peas". And it stuck.
How does culture decide whose druther wins out over another druther? A question for adrother day!
Thanks, Stew. That looks like a book I need to bring into my library! We have "Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressions" which I want to dust off and spend more time with. It is a reference for terms easily confused/misused, historic and historical, for example, and "for free."
Your etymology/entomology comment make me laugh! And speaking of free, I reflect often on a conversation in which the speaker used emancipated when he meant emaciated.
I think we could explore that last question for whatever is left of our 4,000 weeks.
I'm from the land of druthers, too. Great reflection on the word and the movement of words. (Metanalysis was a new term to me.) As for waiting to see if someone offers a real answer to "how are you doing?"... I think that might take a lot more than a morphing of words in our fast-paced world.
You are so right! And in truth, it would be overwhelming to answer the question in depth with every asking. But I do, sometimes, try to provide a snapshot with responses that, when warranted, offer a touch more truth than just "fine, thanks."
Things like: "How long ya' got?" "Fair to middlin'" "Tricky morning, actually, but the day is still young."
A recurring favorite I'm sure you've heard is "I can't complain -- but I probably will anyway." 🤣
Always appreciate knowing you dropped down the rabbit hole with me, Amy. Thanks.
Druthers is right up there with whether the weather….and as a gal raised up in New Hampshire, I always thought we had the claim on that! Maybe it’s y’all that do:)
Writing this taught me that no one gets to lay claim to druthers. It's well-traveled.
Language is such a curious and delightful thing! Thanks for the comment, Molly.
I picked it up in NJ!
Also, there's a bathroom on the right.
Hahahaha!! Good one, John. Actually, I learned from writing this piece that misheard song lyrics have their own term—mondegreen—which has a great story of its own. From Wiki: "The American writer Sylvia Wright coined the term in 1954, recalling a childhood memory of her mother reading the Scottish ballad "The Bonnie Earl o' Moray", and mishearing the words "laid him on the green" as "Lady Mondegreen".
Since my mom spoke "Jersey," maybe I picked it up there, too, in a circuitous path.
Ah, that is so interesting. Remembering that for the next time misheard song lyrics come up!
I do like me my access to the OED online through the New York Public Library.
Oohh, don't I wish. But I might have to set a timer, so I didn't get lost in it completely. What's the most interesting discovery you've made there?
Thanks for stopping by today. ☺️
This is so clever Elizabeth! And now can you please explain the differences between the Bless Your Hearts. I went to school in Nee Orleans and one of my best friends uses this phrase frequently. My understanding of it is more of an affectionate way of saying how naive someone was, but I want to know more.
Well, it’s definitely a regional phenomenon, and highly contextual. You could maybe think of it like the evolution of using the word “bad” to actually mean good. If I don’t miss my guess, the OG bless your heart was more of an expression of compassion, almost a quick prayer, for someone going through a difficult time. It’s still used that way. But it took a sarcastic turn at some point and now ranges from how your friend uses it to code for “You are a complete idiot.” Tone and facial expressions may or may not offer clues to meaning. 🤣