Date:  Thu, 23 May 1996 08:53:43 -0400

From:  "Dennis R. Preston" <preston[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]PILOT.MSU.EDU>

Subject: Re: "straight drive"



In the mid and late 1950's in the Louisville (KY) area, a manual

transmission was a



'stick'



'stick shift'



or



'straight stick'



I never heard the 'full' form 'straight stick shift.'



Automatic transmissions were 'automatic,' never 'automatic shift' (or

'stick'). Therefore, for example, sentences like 'Is it a stick or an

automatic?' were OK, while 'Is it a stick or automatic shift?' sound funny

to me.



Glad to hear that some younguns still use the terminology, but sorry to

hear they don't like the transmission.



Dennis (still a straight stick user) Preston







>Dear ADS-listers,

>

>My brother and his girlfriend were visiting this weekend, and she told

>me that she was sick of "straight drive" and wanted her next car to be

>an automatic. I have never heard this term used to mean standard or

>manual transmission. Are any of you familiar with this usage? My

>brother's girlfriend is in her 20's and grew up in NW South Carolina

>(the Uplands or Upcountry or whatever it's called).

>

>Thanks,

>Kathy Burns



Dennis R. Preston

Department of Linguistics and Languages

Michigan State University

East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA

preston[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]pilot.msu.edu

Office: (517)432-1235

Fax: (517)432-2736