4

I've often the following:

Bob: Have you seen Ian ?

Geoff: Yes, he went that-a-way.

What is the reason people sometimes jokily add the extra "-a-" into the phrase? Where did this come from? It always makes me think of black-and-white gangster movie chase scenes. But that's probably just me.

1
  • 1
    No it is not just you. I also think of cartoons like Bugs Bunny
    – mplungjan
    Apr 12, 2013 at 11:34

2 Answers 2

6

That-a-way is of British origin and dates from the mid-17th century.

Here's an example from a footnote to Richard Brome's "A Jovial Crew; or, The Merry Beggars" in The ancient British Drama (1810):

1i Skise out this away and skisc out that away I should suppose we ought to read Skir out this a way and skir out that a way To skir is to scour to pass hastily So in Macbeth Send out more horses skir the country round Again in King Henry V And make them skir away &c

28 Skise out this away, and skise out that away. — I should suppose we ought to read

" Skir out this a way, and skir out that a way."

To skir is to scour, to pass hastily.

The same play with this same line was also published in 1744 in A select collection of old plays:

.. out again at afternoon, and so 'till supper-time; skise out this away, and skise out that away ; (he's no snail I assure you;) and Tantivy all the country over, where hunting, hawking, or any sport is to be made, or good sellowship to be had ; and ...

In fact, the comedy was first staged in 1641 or 1642 and first published in 1652. Samuel Pepys saw it and wrote in his diary:

... and so I went away with Mr. [Henry] Moore, and he and I to the [King's House] Theatre [Royal], and saw “The Jovial Crew,” the first time I saw it, and indeed it is as merry and the most innocent play that ever I saw, and well performed.

This side-by-side webpage of the 1652 quarto and the modern text includes this on the old side:

... Skiſe out this a-
way, and ſkiſe out that away. (He’s no Snayle I as-
ſure you.)

And for the modern:

Out again at afternoon, and so till supper–time. Skice out this– a–way, and skice out that–a–way.* — He’s no snail, I assure you.

The asterisk notes:

] This edition; Skise out this away, and skise out that away. Q1. OED wrongly identifies 'this-a-way' and 'that-a-way' as nineteenth- and twentieth-century Americanisms indicating direction. See this-a-way, adv., 2, and that-a-way, adv., 2, although the second citation for skice, v.1, is this line in Brome, meaning move quickly; skip or frisk about.

1
  • It's interesting and I hadn't known that the expression is originally British, but I think most Americans associate it with the line "They went that-away" from Western movies.
    – user32047
    Apr 13, 2013 at 17:16
6

That-a-way is of US origin, and the etymology is straightforward, the term being a combination of that and away. In the sense ‘in that direction’, the OED’s earliest citation is from 1839. This-a-way, meaning ‘in this manner or respect’, is first recorded five years earlier.

EDIT: Hugo's answer trumps mine.

4
  • Take a look at the answer below.
    – Robusto
    Apr 13, 2013 at 14:46
  • @Robusto. Yes, looks like a previous use. OP may like to transfer the acceptance. Is that possible? Apr 13, 2013 at 15:08
  • Of course. He just unaccepts yours and accepts Hugo's. Whether he will or not is up to him.
    – Robusto
    Apr 13, 2013 at 15:22
  • Who am I to disagree?
    – Urbycoz
    Apr 15, 2013 at 8:41

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.