Are thank you note days gone?

Before we delve into today's question, I recently received an e-mail that sparks an issue that I thought would provide some good fodder for future Just Ask columns.

The e-mail discusses college scholarships.

The e-mailer asks: "In this generation of 'me, me,' have students written any thank you notes to the officials at the school to thank them for their generosity? I wonder what the percentage would be?"

I thought I'd kind of expand that question to ask y'all: Are the days of the "thank you note" still around, especially for younger Americans? The notes are a wonderful courtesy. I was just wondering how many of us give and receive them.

I'll be the first to admit, I can't remember the last time I sent one, and that is sad.

Any comments on the matter would be appreciated, and could make for an interesting column.

Now on to today's-question:

Q: I would like to know the origin of "brand new," or is it "bran new," or what? Is it newer than "new"? Why and where did "brand" come into being in describing a new object? Folks say this as if it were newer than new.

A: Oh, just great! When I read the words "newer than new," it sounded so close to the phrase, "Bluer Than Blue," that I now have that old song running through my mind.

You know the one: "I'm bluer than blue; sadder than sad…" and so forth.

My apologies to those who now has that song running through their head, but at least misery loves company. We can all be bluer than blue together.

Anyway, on to my stab at an answer to your question.

Webster's New World Collegiate Dictionary defines "brand new" (incidentally, it hyphenates it, which I'd never known before), as "entirely new; recently made and not used before."

But, it also states the origin as being "fresh from the fire" and references the word "brand."

So, my guess is, the phrase "brand new" refers to the concept of having something so new that it just recently was branded. You know, some sort of mark that distinguishes the product.

I also found the Internet site, answers.com, and that seems to be their theory, as well.

In fact, the site discusses the phrase "bran new," which you also mentioned.

It states that spelling was used in 1700s and 1800s literature, including the description of a "bran-new Barlow knife" in Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn."

And, as we all know, life without that Barlow knife would make you bluer than blue.

Staff Writer Bernie Delinski writes Just Ask, which runs Tuesdays in the TimesDaily. If you've got a question, e-mail it to justask@timesdaily.com, fax it to 740-4717 or send it to Just Ask, c/o TimesDaily, P.O. Box 797, Florence, AL 35631. Include your name and contact information.