"The latchstring's on the outside." - Democratic Underground

trof

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Mon Oct-08-07 05:31 PM
Original message

"The latchstring's on the outside."

What does this phrase mean to you, if anything?

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petronius

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Mon Oct-08-07 05:35 PM
Response to Original message

1. That your old-fashioned door is 'unlocked'?

:shrug:

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trof

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Mon Oct-08-07 05:37 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. Pretty close.

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trof

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Mon Oct-08-07 05:53 PM
Response to Reply #1

4. Settler's cabins usually had one door.

A wooden swing latch kept it closed.
(And locked, at night.)

They put a hole in the door, just above the latch.
A string was tied to the latch bar.
If all were working outside, they could put the string through the door so they could open it from the outside, but the door would stay securely latched in the meantime.

If you were expecting a visitor you trusted, you'd put the latch string on the outside.
It's still a way of saying 'You're welcome anytime' in the south.

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petronius

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Mon Oct-08-07 06:45 PM
Response to Reply #4

5. That's exactly what I was picturing

I didn't know it was still used as an expression - very cool!

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Cabcere

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Mon Oct-08-07 05:36 PM
Response to Original message

2. That my brain is fried from watching too much of "The Office"

because the first thing that came to my mind was a Michael-Scott-esque "That's what she said!" :blush: :crazy:

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KitchenWitch

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Mon Oct-08-07 06:48 PM
Response to Original message

6. It means that if I pull the string near the gate, the gate will open.

From the outside.

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Kali

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Mon Oct-08-07 07:37 PM
Response to Original message

7. Behind the house is a small stone building with two tiny windows.

It was a smoke house when my mother was a girl. As a teenager I decided I needed privacy and we made it into a little bedroom. My Grampa made a string latch for the door. I think the door is still out in the garage/shed.

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Mon Apr 29th 2024, 12:44 PM
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