Hi JoBeth, I found this soooo interesting, thought that you just might find it the same. I wouldn't be surprised if some of our ancesters may have been involved with the cotton industry at one time. Love, Betty In a message dated 7/28/2003 4:21:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, CIVIL-WAR-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: > X-Message: #10 > Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2003 14:12:44 EDT > From: Va8thVolsCoG@aol.com > To: CIVIL-WAR-L@rootsweb.com > Question > Subject: [CIVIL-WAR] Re: What would be meant by "Borried middling." > > > In a message dated 7/28/2003 1:25:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > jimgilmer@alaweb.com writes: > > >That expression "middling" brings up another question. An old southern > >expression used when someone asks "How y'all doin?", is the answer "fair to > >middlin'". Does anyone know if that term "middling" as it applies to meat > >has any connection to the expression stating one's state of health? > > > >Jim Gilmer > > > Jim: > This term comes from grading cotton. Some cotton has long fibers which > makes > it expensive. The cotton with the shorter fibers is less expensive. Fiber > length is the factor which determines the grade of cotton. A grade of "fair" > > means short fibers. A grade of middling means medium length. Fair to > middling > means from short (poor) to medium length (OK). Cotton grows, is picked and > sent > to market in small bolls or balls. Market removes the seeds, leaf and small > > trash. Then someone pulls the fibers of a batch in a certain manner between > the > fingers to determine staple of fiber length. In making yarn the cleaned > matted fibers have to be pulled apart mechanically and the fibers laid > parallel > before the yarn can be spun. This paralleling of fibers is called "carding." > > Cotton is graded in order to determine a price. Fair cotton is a certain > grade and > demands a certain price whereas middling cotton will bring more. > I'm fair to middlin' t'day thankya Suh-- > In true Southern, the above responce means: I am not sick and I am not the > best I have ever been but I am OK and hope you are. I'm saying I'm fair to > middling in case you are feeling down and I would not want to hurt your > feelings by > telling you just how good I really feel on this fine day. I'm always safe > down South to say I'm middle of the road (Fair to middling). > Ed Sherman >