Date: Sun, 5 Mar 1995 06:33:06 -0600

From: wachal robert s rwachal[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]BLUE.WEEG.UIOWA.EDU

Subject: Iowa dialects and loose meat



North of a Dubuque-Waterloo-Sioux City line (roughly Highway 20) is

northern and sooth of it is north midland except for the triangle of

Dubuque-Cedar rapids/Iowa City-Davenport, which is historically northern.

Many folk along the southern border counties do have the pin/pen

neutralization.



Loosemeat sandwiches are called either 'sloppy joes' or 'maidrites', the

latter a trade name of a chain of diners. I have casually observed this

sandwich since I was a lad in the '30's in Omaha nebraska. Only

Woolworths sold them and only at the root beer counter. They later

graduated to Sunday night church suppers for teenagers, then in peoples

home for large groups of teenagers, and finally as a home staple.

Sometimes to meat is seasoned with a catsup like mixture. I don't know

where the sanwich originated.



Bob Wachal