Date: Tue, 4 Nov 1997 23:29:26 -0600

From: Samuel Jones smjones1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU

Subject: Re: "so do me something" - Reply to Beth Simon's Inquiry



Is anyone familiar with the phrase, "So do me something" used

as a retort? Know anything about the origin?



thanks,

beth simon

assistant professor, linguistics and english

indiana university purdue university

simon[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]cvax.ipfw.indiana.edu

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Nu (a Russian word meaning "well"), so I'll tell you . . .



The form of the expression "So do me something" is fundamentally German;

however, Hochdeutsch (High German) would never employ such expressions as

"Tu mir etwas" or "Also,tu mir etwas" or "Denn, tu mir 'was," because these

expressions mean "Do something TO me" and not "FOR me." The equivalent of

"So, do me something" in Modern High German would be "Also, [bitte] tu etwas

fuer mich [bitte]." Yiddish employs primarily German as its basis, plus a

"bissel"

Russian, Hebrew, and, so who knows what else? Such a Mischung! (The Yiddish

word "mish," meaning "mixture" or "mix," is also derived from German.) I. too,

suspect that the English is a sort of translation from some not-too kosher

German?



It is quite possible and plausible that Ms. Simon's inquired-about

expression is

indeed derived out of German and comes to English via Yiddish, as is seen in a

number of responses to her inquiry.



Still, we have a bunch of expressions, like



"So, tell me something."

"So, do me a favor?"

"So, sing me a couple more verses."

"So., give me a little more time."

"So, how's by you?"

"So, give me another helping cheesecake?"

"So, you didn't like my challah?"



So, Simon, say maybe I'm a schlump, but don't sue me IF my shtik is shrecklich!







_______________________________

DR. SAMUEL M. JONES

Professor Emertitus

Music & Latin American Studies

University of Wisconsin-Madison

"Pen-y-Bryn" - 122 Shepard Terrace

Madison, WI 53705-3614 USA

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EMAIL: smjones1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]facstaff.wisc.edu

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TELEPHONE: 608 + 233-2150

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