vernacular/idiomatic expressions

Subject: vernacular/idiomatic expressions
From: jukejointeddie
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 12:07 PM

Hi. Came across a term in a Joel Chandler Harris story. "better watch out er yer gwine ta get yo' jacket striped". Wonderin' if this is a slave reference to being beaten...

Subject: RE: vernacular/idiomatic expressions
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 12:39 PM

Prison, more likely.

Subject: RE: vernacular/idiomatic expressions
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 01:53 PM

To stripe, meaning to flog, is an old usage, found in English from the 1400's. See OED examples.

The meaning of the Joel Chandler Harris quote, however, could be as Rapaire suggests. Nineteenth c. prison clothing issue was often striped. I have read that in poor areas, to save prison money, the prisoner's clothing was painted in stripes, but I can't verify this.

Subject: RE: vernacular/idiomatic expressions
From: GUEST,Rowan
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 10:21 PM

In early Sydney, the cheapest durable cloth was often 'ticking', a type of duck that was often marked with parallel blue threads (longitudinally in the weave; I forget the correct term). So the convicts wore clothing made of duck and their stripes were part of the weave. Almost certainly this relected English practice but I can't be dogmatic about it.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: vernacular/idiomatic expressions
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 11:37 PM

Ticking is the usual word for a strong cotton or linen fabric used as the covering for a pillow, or a fabric used in upholstering. I remember the fabric with the blue stripes; it was widely used in the States and common for pillows up to WW2, but I haven't seen it for years. I wonder when the practice of using blue threads started and why.