Chrysti The Wordsmith: Hob Nob

The Montana State University a k g l t f m in Bozeman. This is Christy the wordsmith. To hobnob is to socialize with the elite or the powerful in a more or less elegant atmosphere while seeing and being seen. We might say the socially prominent hobnob Well commoners simply hang out the expression hobnob is another example of free duplications the kind of rhyming phrase so common in the English language. It's been dated to at least 16 0 1 because Shakespeare used it in his play Twelfth Night. The linguistic antecedent of hobnob is thought to be the middle english expression Haba Naba which in turn comes from the pair of words Hoben which means to have and Nabhan or not to have the Middle English ha Banaba ment approximately have and have not or given take. The sense of alternate possession here derives from a tradition of cordial feasting and drinking where friends exchanged toasts and meals. In this scenario the revelers gave or hosted and

took or were hosted in a spirit of reciprocity give and take Have and Have Not hob and nob. This Middle English sense of the phrase seems appropriate still for social hobnob ER's must always understand the subtle rules of reciprocity of giving and taking of having and having not. And here's to your health. I'm Christi the wordsmith from Montana State University in Bozeman Christie the wordsmith a sponsored by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Zoot enterprises a high tech firm in Bozeman Montana offering challenging careers and innovative solutions for the financial services industry. Zoot web dot com.