On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 09:46:19 GMT, yodeled:

I'd like to pause for just a moment, to have a tangential linguistic
discussion.

Singh wrote:

Just to be on the safe side, Louie rigged up the dresser so she can't
get beneath it now. So at least if she does go down cellar, we have
some idea of how and where to find her.

Oh, *WOW*!! I haven't heard the phrase "go down cellar" for years! (It
means "go down to the basement", for the uninitiated.) But that's how my
mother always said it. I just had a childhood flashback!

I'm from Boston. My parents are from Boston. All of their parents were
born in Boston, too. So I'm thinking maybe "down cellar" is a Boston-ism.
Or maybe a New England-ism?

Where're you from again? (Sorry, I can't remember at the moment.)

We now return you to our cliff-hanging story of Odessa, the magically
disappearing and reappearing kitty-brat.

Joyce\


Here in Brooklyn, we would say "Go down the cellar," which while not
as abbreviated as "go down cellar," still leaves out the logical
preposition, as in "go down TO the cellar."

Actually, now that I think of it, what we would really say is "go
downacelluh."


Theresa
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