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Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

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A right smart of things
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1
2010/08/21 - 2:37pm
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Andy Duncan sets a story in a musee.The narrator/employee states that this museum is not all that it's cracked to be " though it did hold a right smart of things".
Is this a Duncanism? Or is this great term in use? Any ideas regarding a "right smart of things" will be welcomed.Thanks

EmmettRedd
859 Posts
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2
2010/08/21 - 7:53pm
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From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/right+smart

Idiom:
right smart New England & Southern U.S.
A lot; a considerable amount: He did right smart of the work himself.

And from http://dictionary.die.net/right%20smart

right smart
adj : (regional; S and Midland) "it's a right smart distance"
adv : (informal) to a great degree or by a great distance; very
much; "way over budget"; "way off base"; "right smart"
is regional (US S and Midland) as in "the other side of
the hill is right smart steeper than the side we are
on" [syn: way]

Emmett

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3
2010/08/21 - 10:05pm
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the connotation was not half bad. but your excellent research is even better.thanks, since Andy Duncan's musee story went further than expected.

Guest
4
2010/08/21 - 11:08pm
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I had the impression "a right smart of money" is New England, which agrees with the research. I lived in NC 30 years or so; I don't recall hearing "a right smart of" there, but I do think they say "a right smart" distance.

Guest
5
2010/09/05 - 2:45pm
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A "fair piece" was also a distance measure.Although a driver's ed teacher never thought so when we were told directions to a far off destination and commented "that's a fair piece". Her reply was to keep one's eyes on the road.

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