Cotton Up To and Cotton To, Too

Miss Etta, wouldn't you just think that the term "cotton up to" HAD to be a Southern phrase? I seriously doubted that combination of words would ever be heard from the mouth of anyone outside of our general neck of the woods. But I was soooo wrong!

The phrase was not coined by a fellow southerner! It seems the phrase "cotton to" has been in used in Great Britain for many long years.

I discovered a number of different thoughts on the origin of the phrase, neither had anything to do with our early American history.

One source took the word back to Egypt and China! I found the term used in plays back in the 1500's when I went looking.

According to Folk-Etymology, the use of cotton in the phrase is an old BRITISH word and has nothing at all to do with the cotton that still grows in many of our Georgia fields. It means harmonize, get along well, coincide. This fellow said it goes back to the Welsh and even further back to Latin.

I found this quote from a forum where they were discussing the meaning. They didn't cite a source, so I can't tell you where it came from but here it is: "To "cotton" meaning "to get along with" comes from the characteristics of cotton cloth. Cotton fabric is soft and fuzzy with a rich pile, and "to cotton" originally meant to work cotton or some other fabric such as wool so as to raise a nap or pile. This process is an important step in the finishing of fine cloth, and by the 16th century "cotton" was being used figuratively to mean "succeed" or "improve." By the early 17th century, "cotton" was being used in a more general sense of "get along well together" or "work harmoniously," and a bit later to mean "strike up a friendship." The modern sense of "to become attached to" first appeared around 1805."

And here's another source: Eric Partridgein A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (Routledge, 2000) has cotton v.i. Prosper; hence, agree together: colloquial; the former (obsolete). from ca. 1560; the latter, from ca. 1600. In an old play (1605), 'John a Nokes and John a Style and I cannot cotton.' The primary sense ('prosper') may arise ex 'a figurative sense of raising a nap on cloth' (Ernest Weekley, Etymological Dictionary of Modern English). —2. Hence, with to, 'get on' well with (a person), take kindly to (an idea, a thing): from ca. 1800; colloquial Barham. 'It's amazing to think./How one cottons to drink.' —3. See cotton on.

Here's a fun article I found in, of all places, the Hindu Times!
What is the difference between "cotton onto someone" and "cotton up to someone"?
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/edu/2003/05/20/stories/2003052000110201.htm

I wonder where the word cotton in relation to the growing kind that we turn into cloth came from?

In case you're wondering, I was eating my dinner in front of the computer and decided to take a short break to do something fun. I have been SO busy all day today. I thought finding the meaning of "cotton to" or "cotton up to" would be fairly simple.

I was wrong.

I hope you have a delightfully fun weekend!

Goodnight for now,
Miss Faye

And The Deed is Done

Miss Faye,

You are so lucky to have your family nearby. All 12 of us have either scattered or returned to the ground. Remind me sometimes, I've got some side splitters about the family.

Anyway, I did indeed go to South Georgia yesterday to see my niece get married. On the drive down, I did see a wondrous site which brought back many memories to me. Cotton. Cotton on the vine. Cotton in big bales. Cotton on the road. That beautiful white cotton. A big laugh just bubbled right up in my throat. Did you ever play "king of the mountain" in cotton seeds? We sure did. It was so fun to be at the cotton gin. When the cotton was deseeded, the seeds would go along a big metal pipe thing that ran across the ceiling and empty out into one huge pile. We used to play "king of the mountain" for hours on those piles. It was more thrilling if you happened to be standing on top of the hill when a fresh batch of cotton seeds would be dumped on top of your head. Everyone in the car looked at me like I had grown three heads as I recalled those days. Why, the youth of today just don't have a proper education on the days of old.

Before I get started, let me get back to my story.

The church was decorated with a Christmas theme, the bride wore white, the bridesmaids wore cranberry, and everyone wore smiles. It was a nice ceremony. Afterwards, I had to tell the young groom our family policy. I politely thanked him for inviting us to the big day, grabbed his hand, and said, "We're so glad you took her off our hands. Now, I have to tell you. She is quite enamored with you and has been for some time. She doesn't come with a receipt, so there are NO returns and NO exchanges." He smiled and reassured me that she will have his heart forever. Kind of endearing, I think.

Now the reception was held in the social hall. I don't know why they call it a social hall, when that rural type of denomination doesn't allow for much. No dancing was allowed. We sat there like bumps on a log with my brother, since we don't know anyone else in the town she lives in. It was good to see them. It's hard to believe that this young girl is old enough to be a radiant bride.

I did have to laugh. She had told me at Thanksgiving that she had "things to do" right after the ceremony and she wouldn't be at the reception long. Two hours into the reception, and there she still was! I asked her how small her suitcase was for the honeymoon as she had told me that she only needed a couple of items and a smile on her face. Ah, youth and newly married. I just bet, Miss Faye, you can tell me some of the older customs surrounding marriages. Didn't everyone used to hang around for the event of the evening? It seems like I heard that behavior was standard up in the mountains. It seems I also recall the landed gentry of old used to have to have "proof" of the evening. Now, I know that the "proof" could be conjured up with some well placed drops here and there.

I was glad to finally leave the reception. kick up my heels, and have myself a long tall julep. That seemed to go well with the memories of my own wedding so long ago. But I don't recall ever playing "king of the mountain" that particular night-- or maybe it was just a different version sans cotton seeds........

Miss Etta