Date: Mon, 27 Oct 1997 08:24:58 -0500

From: Robert Ness ness[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]DICKINSON.EDU

Subject: Re: "Nary?"



Nary is a variant of "never a" ; I suspect that your friend actually

said "nary a bit." Check DARE for a number of citations. On Sun, 26 Oct

1997, MELISSA S. SMITH 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