Date:  Fri, 2 Feb 1996 14:21:26 -0500

From:  Al Futrell <awfutr01[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]HOMER.LOUISVILLE.EDU>

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



On Fri, 2 Feb 1996, Kathleen M. O'Neill wrote:



> 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."



Maybe I have been overexposed to studies of slang, but to me fork and

knife (wife) is decidely British. I realize you are not talking about

rhyming slang, but I am a victim of my training. Most of my pals in

Kentucky tend to say knife and fork when talking about utensils, and we

always set the table with knives and forks and not forks and knives. And

we are allowed to put the knives down while eating without igniting the

rancor of our colleagues....:-)



Al Futrell

-- awfutr01[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]homer.louisville.edu

-- http://www.louisville.edu/~awfutr01

Dept of Communication -- University of Louisville