The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (60 page)
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You can take the BOY out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy
Chiefly known in North America, where it has generated a large variety of humorous by-forms (see quots.).
1938
‘’ in &
Hollywood (caption to caricature of James Stewart)
You can take a boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of a boy.
1950
So Young a Body
vii.
‘You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl,’ Remington interjected casually. ‘Ginnie's from a crossroads in Vermont, and she's still a small-town kid at heart.’
1978
Leonardo's Law
X.
‘He was just something I picked up off the counter.’ She smiled. I guess you can take the girl out of the chorus line but you can't take the chorus line out of the girl.
1987
Washington Post
27 Apr. C2
Back in the good old days, when eager young rubes were descending upon the great metropolises in search of fame and fortune, it used to be said that you can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy.
1991
Times
31 Dec. 29
You can take darts out of the pub .. but you'll never take the pub out of darts.
1997
Times
19 Sept. 33
And, while you can take Björk out of Iceland, it seems you cannot take Iceland out of Björk's music.
nature and nurture
;
origins
1938‘’ in &
Hollywood (caption to caricature of James Stewart)
You can take a boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of a boy.
1950
So Young a Body
vii.
‘You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl,’ Remington interjected casually. ‘Ginnie's from a crossroads in Vermont, and she's still a small-town kid at heart.’
1978
Leonardo's Law
X.
‘He was just something I picked up off the counter.’ She smiled. I guess you can take the girl out of the chorus line but you can't take the chorus line out of the girl.
1987
Washington Post
27 Apr. C2
Back in the good old days, when eager young rubes were descending upon the great metropolises in search of fame and fortune, it used to be said that you can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy.
1991
Times
31 Dec. 29
You can take darts out of the pub .. but you'll never take the pub out of darts.
1997
Times
19 Sept. 33
And, while you can take Björk out of Iceland, it seems you cannot take Iceland out of Björk's music.
nature and nurture;
origins
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