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Origins of flea market Why are flea markets called "flea" markets? How and when did they get their name? -- Steve W., Talent Believe it or not, Steve, those wonderful bastions of antique watches, hand-crocheted cozies, '70s lunch pails, roasted wienies and good deals have been around since the early 1800s. The Word Detective ( www.word-detective.com ), a syndicated newspaper column written by Evan Morris, provides two theories about the origins of "flea market." "The first `flea market' may have been New York's raucous Fly Market, a fixture in Lower Manhattan from before the American Revolution until around 1816," Morris writes. "The `Fly' came from the Dutch name for the market, `Vly' or `Vlie,' which meant `valley,' and was pronounced, you guessed it, `flea.' Voila, `flea market.' Maybe." The other -- and most likely -- theory, Morris says, originates in Paris, where Le Marche aux Puces ("market of the fleas") was an early version of the outlet shopping mall. The market took its name from the partly humorous, partly accurate assumption that the market's ragtag goods more than likely were infested with fleas. Today, thankfully, that is rarely the case. The phrase "flea market" first appeared in English in the 1920s and probably was a simplified translation of the French market's name. (Send your questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; or by fax to (541) 776-4376; or by e-mail to: [email protected] Please include your name, address and phone number for verification.) Today's News Index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA