Date:  Wed, 20 Sep 1995 22:53:12 -0400

From:  Robert Kelly <kelly[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]BARD.EDU>

Subject: Re: Terminology of unexcused absences



Forty years ago, Montana railroad workers were said to "slope" off, and

"sloping off" was their version of sloughing/sluffing. It meant both

absenteeism and lateness, as well as slack performance.



==================================================

Robert Kelly

Division of Literature and Languages, Bard College

Annandale-on-Hudson NY 12504

Voice Mail: 914-758-7600 Box 7205

kelly[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]bard.edu



On Wed, 20 Sep 1995, Al Futrell wrote:



> On Tue, 19 Sep 1995, Tom Uharriet wrote:

>

> > Outside of Utah, which states use sluff, sluffed, sluffing, or sluffs?

> >

> I have heard sloughing off ever since I can remember, but then maybe I

> have been hanging with too many gamblers....and it was often a matter of

> sloughing off a class to imbibe in some sport.

>