Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997 22:02:48 -0500

From: Gregory {Greg} Downing downingg[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]IS2.NYU.EDU

Subject: Re: "Nary?"



At 09:39 PM 10/26/97 -0500, you wrote:

I was just curious as to whether or not someone could tell me where the

word 'nary' comes from. I heard it this weekend. I asked a friend a

question and they told me that they ,'didn't care nary bit'. Is this

common? I've never heard anything like it. It sounds like something

that Foxworthy guy would joke about.



Melissa S. Smith

mssmit01[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]morehead-st.edu





From OED2 "nary a.":



"[var. of ne'er a. The form is typically U.S., but app. occurs in some Eng.

dialects, and is now used more widely outside the U.S.]



Neither; no; not a; now almost always followed by the indef. article. Also

(U.S.)"



Usage citations run from 1746 to 1974....



Greg Downing/NYU, at greg.downing[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]nyu.edu or downingg[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]is2.nyu.edu