Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1995 04:55:25 -0600

From: Natalie Maynor maynor[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]RA.MSSTATE.EDU

Subject: Bounced Mail (re cakewalk)



Reminder: When including a previous list posting in something you're

sending to the list, be sure to edit out all references to ADS-L in the

headers.

****************************************************************

Date: Tue, 7 Feb 1995 20:08:28 -0500

Subject: ADS-L: error report from IUP



The enclosed mail file, found in the ADS-L reader and shown under the spoolid

4031 in the console log, has been identified as a possible delivery error

notice for the following reason: "Sender:", "From:" or "Reply-To:" field

pointing to the list has been found in mail body.



------------------ Message in error (77 lines) -------------------------

Date: Tue, 07 Feb 1995 20:06:24 -0500 (EST)

From: BARBARA HILL HUDSON BHHUDSON[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]IUP.BITNET

Subject: Re: 3 Lexicographic Queries

Organization: Indiana University of Pennsylvania



Subj: RE: 3 Lexicographic Queries



Date: Mon, 06 Feb 1995 08:53:10 -0500 (EST)

From: Wayne Glowka wglowka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]GC3.GAC.PEACHNET.EDU

Subject: Re: 3 Lexicographic Queries



.Literally: Several months ago I went to a fall fair at a primary school in

Tenille, Georgia, where one of the activities was a CAKEWALK. Numbered

squares were on the sidewalk arranged in a circle. Music was played and

the contestants walked until the music stopped. A number, I believe, was

drawn, and the person standing on that number won a cake. Articles in the

newspaper often reminisce about cakewalks in the dim past--often with

reference to the African-American portion of the community.



Figuratively: A CAKEWALK is any task that exceptionally easy to accomplish.



Wayne Glowka

Professor of English

Director of Research and Graduate Student Services

Georgia College

Milledgeville, GA 31061

912-453-4222

wglowka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]gc3.gac.peachnet.edu

BITNET Address: Wglowka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]USCN



I have always thought that cakewalks in the African American community (during

and right after slavery) were competitions in which couples performed creative

and difficult dance steps for the prize of a cake. I thought that this

activity took place at parties. As a matter of fact I think that I've seen

illustrations of couples high stepping with the word cakewalk somewhere in the

caption. Now the leap I made was that the expression, "that takes the cake"

came from those competitions and the meaning was "that performance was the most

[outstanding, outrageous, surprising] of all" What do you think?



BHHudson[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]grove.iup.edu