<VV> dimensions

[Dennis Pleau]

My Whitworth Spanner is just a smidge to small for the head bolt.

dp

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of Tom Berg
Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2011 4:42 PM
To: James P. Rice; virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> dimensions

"Skosh" (spelled with an sh) was a slang term used by GIs who had been
stationed in Korea and Japan. My brother came back from Army service in
Japan in the mid '50s and threw it around.  Levis once used it in a
commercial for a line of jeans aimed at older guys that were cut a little
more fully around the waste and crotch -- "a skosh more room," the copy
went. Anyway, its origins are Asian and maybe were based on what -- rice
grains? 
 
Smidge appears English to me, so I did some research and found that the
word originated with a 17th Century gal named Midge who was a sloppy market
operator; she spilled small quantities of sugar, flour and other stuff all
the time and folks began calling her "S'Midge." Ha ha, actually, I just made
that up. 
 
Except it does look English, don't you think? In which case, it might have
ties to the Whitworth system or one of the other obscure English measurement
systems that are now out of practice. 
 
--Tom in Ohio