[PW] Vocabulary in 1947 Newfoundland?

[Mervyn Cripps]

Hi Carolyn:

I'm with you.  I can't speak for Newfoundland specifically, but in rural
Ontario, we never had a refrigerator until 1954 and it was usually
referred to as the icebox. I saw my first refrigerator in downtown
Toronto about 1941.

Sometime this side of 1954 I can recall a newspaper composing room
discussion on whether it should be referred to as a 'fridge, fridge, or
frig. We spelled it out!

Cheers

Merv -- ye olde typesetter and proofreader





-----Original Message-----
From: project-wombat-open-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
[mailto:project-wombat-open-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On Behalf
Of Carolyn
Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2007 7:14 PM
To: list at project-wombat.org; swguardian-stumpers at yahoo.com
Subject: [PW] Vocabulary in 1947 Newfoundland?

I'm reading a mystery by a Newfoundland writer, set on that island in 
1947. It appears to be well researched and historically accurate.

However, one item irked me and am wondering if it's a honker.

During domestic scenes, characters go in and out of their iceboxes 
for food and drink. Fine, that's the right term for the day. However, 
in one scene, somebody closes the door to the "fridge." To my 
understanding, "fridge" is modern shorthand for "refrigerator," and 
that term didn't come into being until new technology replaced iceboxes.

Can anyone verify this?

Thanks!

Carolyn Haley
DocuMania