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