Date:  Tue, 9 May 1995 14:40:58 -0500

From:  Grant Barrett <gbarrett[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]KB.COM>

Subject: Not For Nothin'



    Reply to:  Not For Nothin'

Maybe we've had this conversation before, but here's a phrase I've encountered

from my Long Island/New York/New Jersey friends (natives, mind you, not hayseeds

on lark in the Big Apple like myself).



The phrase is "not for nothin'" and it's used to roughly mean "for what it's

worth" or sometimes "you may not believe this small tidbit." It usually leads a

sentence or can be used as an interjection of agreement. One woman uses is as

often as Sylvester Stallone says "ya know" in the first Rocky movie (to the same

irritating effect).



"Not for nothin', but he can sock the ball out of the park if he wants."

"There were shouting at the top of the their lungs, not for nothin'."

Guido: "Look at the mags on that bike." Jerome: "Not for nothin', but those are

sweet."



Grant Barrett

Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners

Computer Specialist,

Freelance Writer

gbarrett[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]kb.com