Etymological survey:

[SteppingRazor]

OK, so you've got a son getting married, and the engagement party is your job. Which of the following phrases would you use to describe what you're doing. In the comments, please let me know which answer you checked, and where you were raised.

[Bucky]

1. "My son is having a bachelor party with booze and strippers that he pays for himself"

Takes longer to say, but it saves you a lot of money.

[Bucky]

2. Seriously, tho, it's "throwing" if you're part of it and "putting together" if you're doing a favor

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. I am having....in my son's honor

:shrug:

[SteppingRazor]

4. Maybe I should tell you my hypothesis here:

After hearing the same unusual phrase from a couple folks over the last few days, I believe the term "making an engagement party" to be of New York City origin, of Jewish origin, or of New York City Jewish origin. I can't say which.

(And as long as we're on the subject of Judaism, easy fast, folks!)

[La Lioness Priyanka]

5. I'm throwing an engagement party. India.

[Deep13]

6. "hosting"

New England. I have never heard of hosting an engagement party for a man.

[Unvanguard]

7. Other: "I'm having an engagement party (for him)." n/t

[brendan120678]

8. "Throwing"

And it's only an engagement party if it's for both your son and his spouse-to-be.

Otherwise, most people in this area call it a Stag.

[SteppingRazor]

11. The kind of party is unimportant for my purposes.

Could be a birthday party, or what have you. It's the verb I'm interested in.

[Spider Jerusalem]

9. 'having' (which should be an option)

and it's not etymological, you mean 'dialect survey'

[SteppingRazor]

10. Yeah, yeah. You and your semantics.

:P


You're right though. I should have included "having."

[tigereye]

12. "throwing" - Western PA by folks from New England and NY state

[frogmarch]

13. "Having" if it's my house, and

"giving" if it's elsewhere. I live in western Nebraska.