Date: Thu, 23 Feb 1995 17:53:45 EST

From: CAG CAG[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AM.OUP-USA.ORG

Subject: Re: Little DARE queries



RE: "Little" DARE queries



Well, if we're talking about *non-related persons* called "big"

and "little" ...



When I was about 16 yrs. old (in the suburbs of northern New

Jersey in 1968) there were four Cathys in the neighborhood, of

which I was one. Two of the Cathys were about 4 or 5 yrs. old and

the fourth was the mother of one of the little girls -- and she

was at least 28 yrs of age.



There were several children of all ages in the 'hood and, among

them, they named the four of us: One little Cathy was called

"Cathy;" her mother was, of course, called Mrs. Mahoney; the other

little girl was named "Cass" by her brother who lisped -- and this

name for her was picked up by everyone -- and I, by extension,

became "Big Cass," much to my embarrassment due to my blossoming

teenage figure. But it was remarkable how the kids' names for all

of us caught on and were used by *everyone* -- kids and adults

alike -- all the time.



Cathy Guldner

Oxford University Press

cag[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]oup-usa.org