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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage

Afoot or horseback

He doesn't know if he is afoot or horseback.
How many of you recognize this phrase? Any other relevant comments? (Or non-relevant?)
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Top answer

[nq:1]He doesn't know if he is afoot or horseback. How many of you recognize this phrase? Any other relevant comments?

— Usenet

  • [nq:1]He doesn't know if he is afoot or horseback.
  • How many of you recognize this phrase?
  • Any other relevant comments?
  • html An August 1900 magazine article (in "Ainslee's Magazine, 6") by a Will M.
  • Clemens about "Mark Twain" (presumably Will was a relative) includes the remark "One never knows whether Mark is afoot or on horseback" referring to Twain's frequent changes of attitude on a subject.
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6 Answers
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[nq:1]He doesn't know if he is afoot or horseback. How many of you recognize this phrase? Any other relevant comments? (Or non-relevant?)[/nq]
It is unknown to me, but appears to be characteristically southern U.S.: "The fool's so lost he don't know if he's afoot or on horseback":
http://www.usadeepsouth.
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[nq:1]He doesn't know if he is afoot or horseback. How many of you recognize this phrase? Any other relevant comments? (Or non-relevant?)[/nq]
I've heard it as 'on foot or horseback'. It was used in the North of England as one of many phrases indicating a person who was flummoxed. My favourite of that genre is 'Doesn't know if he's on this Earth or Fuller's'
John Dean
Oxford
De-fr
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[nq:2]He doesn't know if he is afoot or horseback. How many of you recognize this phrase? Any other relevant comments? (Or non-relevant?)[/nq]
[nq:1]I've heard it as 'on foot or horseback'. It was used in the North of England as one of many phrases indicating a person who was flummoxed. My favourite of that genre is 'Doesn't know if he's on this Earth or Fuller's'[/nq]
I grew up with "Does
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[nq:2]He doesn't know if he is afoot or horseback. How many of you recognize this phrase? Any other relevant comments? (Or non-relevant?)[/nq]
[nq:1]It is unknown to me, but appears to be characteristically southern U.S.: "The fool's so lost he don't know if he's afoot or on horseback":[/nq]
Oh, I have heard riots of laughter when the expression "He doesn't know if he's afoot or ahorse" co
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[nq:1]On 11 Nov 2003, John Dean wrote[/nq]
[nq:2]I've heard it as 'on foot or horseback'. It was ... is 'Doesn't know if he's on this Earth or Fuller's'[/nq]
[nq:1]I grew up with "Doesn't know whether to *** or wind his watch".[/nq]
Or "Doesn't know whether to *** or go blind."
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You reminded me. It was "... or on horseback" Forgot the "on".
[nq:2]It is unknown to me, but appears to be characteristically southern U.S.: "The fool's so lost he don't know if he's afoot or on horseback":[/nq]
[nq:1]Oh, I have heard riots of laughter when the expression "He doesn't know if he's afoot or ahorse" comes out in some speech. It may be a cliche among toastmasters, and the lik
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