European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 1, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Last laugh the question is whether Polly Wolly goes Doodle All Day Dave Barry a significant reason Why the United states is having trouble competing in the modern industrialized world is that most americans through no fault of their own Are in the words of Secretary of education Lamar Alexander a was dumb As  that is Why this newspaper at great expense and physical risk is once again presenting a ask or. Language person a the educational feature that answers common questions about grammar spelling and punctuality. Today a first common question was mailed in by an actual Reader James f. Wood of Denver who asks a in the song in be been working on the Railroad when it says a someone a in the Kitchen with Dinah i know of of of a does it Pean that the Singer knows that someone is in the Kitchen with Dinah or that the Singer knows who is in the Kitchen with a Dinah Quot a. Leading grammar experts have wrestled naked with this question for years. Some clues to the answer May be found in the songs reference to a is forum mind on the old Banjo a and the lines Dinah won t you blow Dinah won t you blow Dinah won t you blow your Horn ? these lines strongly suggest As was noted in a groundbreaking 1987 study by or. A. Howard Lornette of Yale University a that Dinah has a  but Why would people be playing a Horn and an old Banjo in the Kitchen and what about the song that goes Quot there was a Farmer had a dog and Bingo was his name of Quot whose name was Bingo the dog or the Farmer and when Burl Ives goes a using Polly Wolly Doodle All the Day a does he mean we should sing All Day about somebody named Polly Wolly Doodle or is he singing about somebody named Polly Wolly who goes Doodle All the Day it is unlikely that these questions can be answered without massive Federal funding. A it had to be the dog. Who would name a Farmer a a Bingo a. Who would name an education Secretary Quot Lamar Quot q. In the song about the Bunny Rabbit that attacks mice what is the rabbits Correct name a. Or. Language person thought it was Little Rabbit Foo Foo. However mrs. Language person contends a and the prestigious wee sing song Booklet backs her up on this a that it is Little Bunny Foo Foo. But consider the following or language person is certain that in the Correct version the Rabbit is picking up the Field mice and bopping them on the head. A whereas the wee sing song Booklet contends that it is scooping up the Meecy mice and bopping Mem on the head. Q. Meecy mice How does William Safire feel about that a. He feels very strongly that Foo Foo should be hyphenated. Q. Speaking of lyrics what is the most romantic song Ever written a. That would be Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker which is copyrighted by Conrad music a division of arc music corp., and which includes the following verse reprinted by permission i like the Way you walk i like the Way you talk. When you walk that walk and you talk that talk. You Knock me out right off my feet. Q. You had to get permission to reprint a verse that rhymes Quot out with Quot feet a yes. Q. What does it mean to a put the onus on somebody a. This is an ancient Legal expression referring to the a onus a which was a Large Rock that was used in ancient court proceedings. Defendant i plead not guilty. Judge All right then put the onus on him. Defendant i mean guilty guilty q. What is the difference Between a Quot consensus and a a general consensus of opinion a. Quot consensus Quot is used when selecting toppings As in a the consensus Between Phil Norm and myself is garlic and  whereas a general consensus of opinion is used when discussing somebody who is not in the room at the time As in a the general consensus of opinion is that those puff sleeves make Darlene look like a Chicago  a amps Sharon Kilday Tarrant q. Speaking of football have you heard any Good quotations from professional football analyst and former Kansas City chiefs coach Hank Stram recently a. Yes. Hank emitted an excellent one dec. 16 on a Miami sports talk radio show when he was asked what the new Orleans saints needed to do to get ready for their game against the los Angeles raiders. Q. What did he say a. He said quote a i think they have to desperately come into this game with an urgent  w q. Whatever happened to Hank Strams neck anyway a. Apparently it was stolen. Got a question for or. Language person write it Down and hide it in a Safe place. The Miami Herald  military life in Europe Page 24 sunday March 1, 1992