Michelle in Williamsburg, Virginia, wonders about the origin of alley-oop!, which she says when hoisting her toddler. It’s from French allez, the imperative of aller meaning “to go” and houp or hop, an onomatopoeic utterance made...
Do you want to get down? Ask that in parts of Louisiana, and people know you’re not inquiring whether they care to dance, you’re asking if they want to get out of a car. A former Louisianan who grew up using the expression that way...