Art asks:

> Ok... so is this where the phrase (That I use all the time) "Fair to
>  Middlin" comes from?  I picked up the phrase when stationed in Georgia and
>  so figured it must be a Southern expression...

There's never any way to trace the beginning of a colloquialism with any sort
of accuracy, but you're correct. It is a southern expression. My family is
from Houston, and I too heard it all of the time when I was growing up. "Fair to
middlin'" expresses somewhat the same sentiment as a non-committmal "OK" in
the rest of the country, but in a direction that's going downhill.

"Middlin'" means mediocre (or slightly worse). For those of you who read tea
leaves in such things, it may be of interest to you that George W. Bush hails
from Midland (pronounced the same way). I don't think he's ever made it to
Fair.

Wirt Atmar

* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, *
* etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *