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by Jim Evans
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Friday, 06 October 2006 |
 SMART TALK
By Dr. Molto Breve
SO DON’T I: The Institute for the Linguistically Impaired tried to track the origin of this curious contradiction. One researcher believes it started around 1960 among poorly educated whites in Norwood, New York (in the St. Lawrence River valley). From there, it spread like an urban myth.
This symptom of cerebroporosis has probably infected the entire Northeast. Speakers of so don’t I mean so do I, and they have no idea they’re not making sense. We treat them with mild shock.
But before treatment, we like to have our fun by baiting these patients with a statement such as, “I love ice cream.” They reply, “Oh, so don’t I!” We enjoy their confusion when we look mournful and say, “Oh, you don’t? Why not?”
So don’t I isn’t the only example of a local expression having the opposite meaning. In parts of Appalachia, I don’t care to means I wouldn’t mind. If these folks aspire to careers outside the home “holler,” or hollow, we administer mild shock treatment to them, too.
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