Date: Sat, 25 May 1996 18:49:53 -0600 From: Samuel Jones Subject: Re: "took a shine to" [To take a shine to . . .] Having lived in both Oklahoma & Texas for extended periods of time, I can tell you that "to take a shine to" is an expression I have heard used there all the years I was located in that part of the US, particularly among ranchers, cattlemen, farmers, and country folk. "At the pie supper, Harry took quite a shine to the new schoolmarm, and kinda cozied up to her!" "When Mary Beth heard the new banker was single, she took quite a shine to him!" >At 10:24 AM 5/25/96 -0500, you wrote: >>> he "took a shine to exercising". I've only heard this once before in my >>> life. Any idea how this came about, and what it really means? >> >>I don't know where it came from, but I've heard it all my life as an >>expression meaning to like something immediately. >> --Natalie (maynor[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ra.msstate.edu) >> > >I've heard it all my life, and I grew up in New England. But it doesn't >sound quite right applied to an activity; I think I would use it only of >people. I also seem to have a sense that the "shine" was unexpected, as in >an adult taking a shine to an unruly child. > >David Johns >Waycross College >Waycross, GA ____________________________________________________________________________ DR. SAMUEL M. JONES INTERNET: smjones1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]facstaff.wisc.edu Prof. of Music & Latin American Studies TELNET: samjones[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]macc.wisc.edu 5434 Humanities Building FAX: 608 + 262-8876 (UW) 455 North Park Street __________________________________________ University of Wisconsin-Madison TELEPHONES: 608 + 263-1900 (UW-Lv. message) Madison, WI 53706-1483 * 608 + 263-1924 * (UW-Office - * VOICE MAIL--Lv message) ____________________________________________________________________________ "Pen-y-Bryn" TELEPHONES: 608 + 233-2150 (Home) 122 Shepard Terrace 608 + 233-4748 (Home) Madison, WI 53705-3614 ____________________________________________________________________________