Date: Wed, 21 Sep 1994 15:26:13 EDT

From: David Bergdahl bergdahl[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]OUVAXA.CATS.OHIOU.EDU

Subject: nebby/nibby



Ohio University Electronic Communication





Date: 21-Sep-1994 03:13pm EST



To: Remote Addressee ( _MX%"ADS-L[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UGA.CC.UGA.EDU )



From: David Bergdahl Dept: English

BERGDAHL Tel No: (614) 593-2785



Subject: nebby/nibby





My wife was a psychotherapist in Pittsburgh before I met her and one of

the local expressions that puzzled her when she first arrived was "nebby" for

nosey or meddlesome, e.g. "She's so nebby she wants to know everything."

It's recognized by Iron City residents as a localism alongside "Sasa:d"

[southside], "StillMills"[steelmills--of which there are few anymore--another

localism] and "redd up" [straighten up the house/make ready]. Yesterday one of

my freshman students from Columbus Ohio (both parents natives also] used the

term "nibby" with the same meaning. How wide is the distribution of

nebby/nibby? I've heard "nebby" very rarely and OU students from Pittsburgh

area don't universally know it, but this is the first "nibby" I've heard in 27

yrs. Anybody on the list know either?

DAVID

David Bergdahl Ohio University/Athens OH BERGDAHL[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]OUVAXA.CaTS.OHIOU.EDU







Received: 21-Sep-1994 03:26pm