Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 02:21:37 -0400 From: "Barry A. Popik" Subject: PhillySpeak; Hoagies; Antidentite PHILLYSPEAK I was in Philadelphia and found these letters in the Philadelphia City Paper, August 29-September 4, 1997, page 4, col. 2: PHILLY MISSPEAK One minor error in an otherwise splendid article ("PhillySpeak," Aug. 15): The quote about "anymore" being "a South Philadelphia barbarism" is most certainly from Red SMITH, not Red Barber. To the best of my knowledge, Red Barber worked neither in newspapers nor in Philadelphia; Red Smith covered sports for the Philadelphia _Record_ from 1936 to 1945. Andrew Milner Bryn Mawr ajm[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]bbs.cpcn.com As a Philadelphia-born Murray with a mother named Mary, and who once dated a Merry, your piece on how Philadelphia speaks "spoke" to me. Reminded me of how my dad pronounced certain words. For instance, there was one Japanese cat he called a Tay-Ota. Nice job, fella. Murray Dubin South Philadelphia The City Paper is at http://www.citypaper.com. I'll try to get the article. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------- HOAGIES This should be the definitive statement, but it's not: Known throughout the rest of the country as a submarine sandwich, hero or grinder, the Philadelphia hoagie is a sandwich of luncheon meats, cheeses, lettuce, tomato and onion with mayonnaise or oil served on a long roll. Many stories exist as to how the hoagie got its name, the most likely of which is a coruption of the term "hokey pokey" man. These Italian street vendors were probably the first to marry their antipasto salads with a "pinafore" roll in the late 19th century. --THE LARDER INVADED: REFLECTIONS ON THREE CENTURIES OF PHILADELPHIA FOOD AND DRINK by Mary Anne Hines, Gordon Marshall, and WIlliam Woys Weaver, 1987 from a joint exhibition held 17 November 1986 to 25 April 1987 by the Library Company of Philadelphia and the Historical Society of Philadelphia. By 1965--when we have our first "hoagie" citation--the 19th century "hokey-pokey" man was old news. Why is THIS more any more likely than the other versions? The store WAWA put some hoagie information at www.hoagie.com. Last summer, the world's largest hoagie was made for the annual "hoagie day." I went through the weekly THE PHILADELPHIA SPOT LITE (WHERE TO GO--WHAT TO SEE) and a few (not many) of the monthly PHILADELPHIA MAGAZINE. A thorough search of the latter will probably turn up something. In the former, in the week of December 28, 1974, for example, I noticed that the places that advertised sandwiches were--go-go clubs! The Opal Room at 1627 Ranstead Street was "Featuring fine sandwiches." Slick Chicks at 1001 Race Street had a "complete menu of delicious hot sandwiches." The Play Pen Lounge at the rear of 1418 Walnut Street had "King-Sized Sandwiches Served Daily!" Also, "Our dancers bend over backwards to please you! Our waitresses are eager to serve you!" Not to say, necessarily, that you could get a "hoagie" from a "ho," but I'll solve it,,, ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------- RAT=FRESHMAN; MONEY TALKS The Virginia Military Institute (Lexington, VA, founded 1839) has "rats." But the College of William & Mary (Williamsburg, VA, founded 1693!!) also had "rats." I'm inclined to believe that VMI gave "rats" to W&M in the 19th century, but I've done no research at W&M. Burton Stevenson's book of collected proverbs (the title varies) has the 1666 "Man prates, but gold speaks--Torriano, PIAZZA UNIVERSALE." He also has "Against the talking power of money eloquence is of no avail (Auro loquente nihil pallet quaevis oratio)--Erasmus, ADAGIA, iii, iii, (1523)." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------- ANTIDENTITE I've been in great pain all week. Especially today. OWWWW! A SEINFELD rerun last week used a different name for the tooth Nazis. JERRY SEINFELD: You're an antidentite! I know I'm in good hands, though, because my dentist also does the teeth of actors Armand Assante and Bernadette Peters, as well as supermodels (whatever they are). ARMAND ASSANTE: Antidentite! I will keel you! And then I will eat you with my shiny white teeth! If you bump into Bernadette, tell her I want to check out her mouth.