"Martinizing" is a form of dry cleaning. The only other reference I can
recall is from GUYS AND DOLLS where it appears in the song "Take Back
Your Mink." I am uncertaining of the etymology but would hazard that it
was named after a Mr. Martin.
What was so funny about it? Well, I don't find Seinfeld so funny (I am a
Manhattanite), so I would guess that either he was on one of those rolls
where any unusual word sounds funny to the audience; or perhaps
familiarity with the techniques of one-hour martinizing is rampant: you
take the clothing, and put it in a plastic bag.
Bob
> In a Seinfeld episode, Kramer said:
> "The carpet cleaner is the biggest hoax played on the American
> public since the one-hour martinizer" (receiving big laughs
> from the audience).
> I had never heard this word before. It is not to be found in any
> dictionary.
> 1. What is "martinizing"?
> 2. What is the origin of the word (etymology)?
> 3. What is so funny about martinizing?
I can answer two of your questions at once: it is funny because the word
has no real meaning. I assume someone named "Martin" pseudo-invented
"martinizing".
"Martinizing" is something dry-cleaners claim to be able to do. They but
up a sign saying "ONE HOUR MARTINIZING", I assume on the theory that some
unsuspecting people will see it and remark, "Hey look, Agnes! They can
martinize our clothes here in only an hour! Let's take our dry-cleaning
business here!"
-Aaron J. Dinkin
Dr. Whom
> In a Seinfeld episode, Kramer said:
> "The carpet cleaner is the biggest hoax played on the American
> public since the one-hour martinizer" (receiving big laughs
> from the audience).
> I had never heard this word before. It is not to be found in any
> dictionary.
> 1. What is "martinizing"?
> 2. What is the origin of the word (etymology)?
> 3. What is so funny about martinizing?
>
> Trond Olav
There is a well-known service chain in the Toronto area called
"One Hour Martinizing Dry Cleaners", and after reading your question, I
called them in search of the answer, which was, "It's just the name of
the company -- Like Mcdonald's or Burger King." I asked if "Martinizing"
refers to a process or some like thing, only to be told that it doesn't.
Since I'm not sure that I entirely trust the knowledge of the
serviceperson who answered the phone, I would encourage further research
(not that I'm going to be the one to do it). Hopefully, I have given
you at least a starting point. It was probably some vain guy named Martin
who started a one-hour dry-cleaning service.
Out of context, I can't say that I find it that humourous. Then
again, it's from a sitcom, so I probably wouldn't even have found it funny
IN context.
Dryly and Cleanly Yours,
Kevin
It is a chain of one-hour dry-cleaning shops.
"Martinizing" is indeed a type of dry cleaning ... that can be one hour from
start to finish, thus the advertising gimmick. Of course, it never takes an
hour because there is the preparation time, the lag time between receiving
the work and beginning the cleaning, et cetera et cetera. Thus the joke ...
it might only take an hour to do, but it takes a few days for that hour to
be gotten to.
It was developed in France (martinizing) and thus there are also old stores
that advertise "French cleaning" or "French process".
--
(new quotation being searched for)
Michael Maranda *** mm0...@uhura.cc.rochester.edu
I remember having this explained when _Guys and Dolls_ had
its big revival. "Holland" comes from a Mr. Holland, who
operated a fur-cleaning/restoration/dying/restyling service
in New York.
Specifically, "hollanderizing" here refers to treating a
loesser ;) fur to make it look like mink.
--
Mark Odegard. Ode...@ptel.net
> "Martinizing" is something dry-cleaners claim to be able to do. They but
> up a sign saying "ONE HOUR MARTINIZING", I assume on the theory that some
> unsuspecting people will see it and remark, "Hey look, Agnes! They can
> martinize our clothes here in only an hour! Let's take our dry-cleaning
> business here!"
>
> -Aaron J. Dinkin
> Dr. Whom
I always thought it was "One Hour Martini Zing." :-)
--
Christopher J. Henrich
chen...@monmouth.com
I've never had my French cleaned or processed. I have had my English
edited, however.