"The Americans are identical to the British in all respects except, of course, language." — Oscar Wilde
Which brings us to today's text, courtesy of WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC) news:
Bill Would Establish Shaggin' License Plate
RALEIGH — The Daughters of the American Revolution have one. Recipients of the Purple Heart and the Silver Star have one, too. You can even get one to show your support for sea turtles.
State Sens. David Hoyle and Tony Rand are co-sponsoring a bill that would establish a license plate paying homage to shag dancing.The proposed license plate would bear the phrase "I'd Rather Be Shaggin'" and would also have a picture illustrating two shaggers.
For such a license to be printed and issued, the Division of Motor Vehicles must get 300 or more applications.
Okay. When Southerners talk about "shagging," they mean to reference a rather stylized dance that one performs to "beach music."
In much of the rest of the English-speaking world, especially the UK and environs, people will think you're talking about this.
Personally, I will always treasure the memory of asking (in all freshman innocence and earnestness) a beautiful English exchange student, at a college party where beach music was being played, whether she'd like to shag.
(Hat tip: Ruby Sinreich)
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