I don't think you'd say, "I will feed straw." Straw is more broad form of any dried plant and sort than hay. You can literally check a dictionary to see what would it say.
You can eat hay but you sleep on straw. Hay is dried grass while straw is the by product of harvested wheats and things that have had their nutrients removed.
sigh.
i know, i know! i need to get my nose out of books and go out more. thank god there's a show for me to go to this friday!
OK. Story goes that farmboys (North & South) that enlisted to fight in the War 'Twixt the States had no knowledge of Left & Right but a tremendous knowledge of the difference 'tween hay & straw. Frustrated drill sargeants took to putting a piece of hay in one brogan and straw in the other and using that to teach the recruits how to march & drill. This useless trivia is brought to you by Ten West's resident history nerd - Jon Monastero
No, Michael, one would never say What the straw! Just as one would never say, "Straw, you, come 'ere!" or "It's like trying to find a needle in a straw stack." To respond to Stephen's query, Hay was for the left foot and Straw the right foot. There are a few folk songs that contain, "hay foot...straw foot" in the lyrics. Some of these songs date to the CIvil War era, some earlier.
Privates sleep where the rain comes down Generals have their bed in town Hay foot, Straw foot never knows Ifen the gun is loaded or not So load her again and if she blows Dead and buried and soon forgot -- Civil War ballad
as for the person who posted the coment about folk songs and the use of the phrase "hay foot straw foot". there is a recent song by southern folk singer david eugene edwards. there is a link below to footage of part of the song being sung. http://www.cornerstonefestival.com/coverage2005.cfm?page=clips&ClipID=44
12 Comments:
I don't think you'd say, "I will feed straw." Straw is more broad form of any dried plant and sort than hay.
You can literally check a dictionary to see what would it say.
You can eat hay but you sleep on straw. Hay is dried grass while straw is the by product of harvested wheats and things that have had their nutrients removed.
sigh.
i know, i know! i need to get my nose out of books and go out more.
thank god there's a show for me to go to this friday!
speaking of the show on friday, july 29...very funny.
you guys are funnier than some of the things on comedy central. when is your dvd coming out?
i owe you far more than my donation but don't come looking for it cuz i'm trained in tongue fu.
i especially enjoyed stephen's number in the blonde wig and nightie (but don't ask why)
jake rrrrr
The SPELLING. Duh...jees.
OK. Story goes that farmboys (North & South) that enlisted to fight in the War 'Twixt the States had no knowledge of Left & Right but a tremendous knowledge of the difference 'tween hay & straw. Frustrated drill sargeants took to putting a piece of hay in one brogan and straw in the other and using that to teach the recruits how to march & drill. This useless trivia is brought to you by Ten West's resident history nerd - Jon Monastero
So, wait - just to make sure I'm getting all I can from this nugget o' wisdom... is hay "left" and straw "right"? Was it the same everywhere?
Stephen (Ten West's resident perpetual student)
p.s. Any of you out there doubting J's pedagogical integrity... check out his Chuck Taylor's next time you see him!
You would never say, "That's the last hay!"
No, Michael, one would never say What the straw! Just as one would never say, "Straw, you, come 'ere!" or "It's like trying to find a needle in a straw stack."
To respond to Stephen's query, Hay was for the left foot and Straw the right foot. There are a few folk songs that contain, "hay foot...straw foot" in the lyrics. Some of these songs date to the CIvil War era, some earlier.
Privates sleep where the rain comes down
Generals have their bed in town
Hay foot, Straw foot never knows
Ifen the gun is loaded or not
So load her again and if she blows
Dead and buried and soon forgot
-- Civil War ballad
The American Slang Dictionary Says:
HAY - 1. narcotics Marijuana 2. lunch counter Strawberries or strawberries 3. a small amount of money 4 sleep
and doesn't have anything to say about straw. SOoooooo no one cares about straw in colloquial america and that's the difference.
i however am now going to start saying "a roll in the straw", because you don't sleep in hay. But hay is still for horses.
as for the person who posted the coment about folk songs and the use of the phrase "hay foot straw foot". there is a recent song by southern folk singer david eugene edwards. there is a link below to footage of part of the song being sung.
http://www.cornerstonefestival.com/coverage2005.cfm?page=clips&ClipID=44
well, ones got 3 letters and the others got 5.
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