Date:  Fri, 2 Feb 1996 10:52:18 -0500

From:  "M. Lynne Murphy" <104LYN[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MUSE.ARTS.WITS.AC.ZA>

Subject: Re: Fork and Knife? Knife and Fork?



> A few colleagues of mine claim that they use

> "knife and fork" and the other variety seems strange.

> Another colleague uses "fork and knife" and says,

> to him, the other usage sounds, in his word, "British."



i've always used "knife and fork" (in new york, massachusetts, and

illinois), can't remember anyone ever using "fork and knife" and am

not british, or even south african.



however, when discussing the fixedness of conjoined phrases (it's

part of a deixis assignment i give), i've found a few differences

between my northern u.s. preferences and my students' south african

english preferences. e.g., i'd say a "grilled cheese and bacon

sandwich", whereas the local preference is for "toasted bacon and

cheese" (low fat diets are not the norm here). can't think of another

example offhand, except that i've seen "cheese and wine" get-

togethers advertised, where i would say "wine and cheese".



lynne



---------------------------------------------------------------------

M. Lynne Murphy              104lyn[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]muse.arts.wits.ac.za

Department of Linguistics            phone: 27(11)716-2340

University of the Witwatersrand          fax: 27(11)716-8030

Johannesburg 2050

SOUTH AFRICA