Recently, I mentioned to my Mom, who lived her formative years (approximately age 1 to 14, 1931-1945) in Brooklyn, New York, that the two maple trees in front of my house (part of my development/township’s plan to make a tree-lined street) were producing what I called them just to be silly, whirlygigs.
Mom then told me about “pollynose.” To make a pollynose, a child splits the maple seed, then with the naturally sticky substance oozing out, one sticks one or both halves of the seed on one’s nose in silly manner. I thought that sounded like the most awesome thing ever, so, I tried and tried with my maple whirlygigs at various stages of their development, but mine wouldn’t stick, boo-hoo—maybe a different species of maple is required. They’re now about done for the season.
Anyhoo, here is the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) entry for “pollynose,” confirming that it originates with the New York City dialect:
http://dare.wisc.edu/?q=node/134
Then also, a Google images search of “pollynose” did not let me down.
I think it is in order for me to add some American regional expressions to the Family Lexicon page of this site in the future in addition to terms from the “old country.”
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