Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 4 of 4 1 2 3 4
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
W
wow Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Ahhh, so Macaroni was Frencified form of dandyism and the use of Macaroni "style" by colonists was a yokel attempt to be fashionable
Now in the article the author says :
The entire Yankee Doodle lyric, one of America's most beloved patriotic songs, is a joke at the expense of the Colonists.
So it seems to me that the Yankee Doddle Song, written to ridicule the American colonists was adopted by them and made their own.
Nice trick! Make it your own and take the sting out of it.


#117312 12/15/03 04:42 AM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
Quinion seems to think it originated over your side of the pond: http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-pot1.htm

Bingley


Bingley
#117313 12/15/03 12:22 PM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 619
G
addict
Offline
addict
G
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 619
What is the source or etymology of this use of "ton"? Is it merely idiomatic?

Here in North America, "ton" is used to describe a massive hit in baseball, usually a home run traveling in the range of 500 feet.

Here's a typical example quoted in a column in the Miami Herald a couple of months ago:

"Sammy Sosa hit a home run that traveled an estimated 495 feet but surely will be upgraded beyond 500 feet, maybe even a mile or two, in the years to come. ''I thought it went out of the whole park,'' Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. ''He hit that ball a ton.'' Said Sosa: ``That was the right moment to hit that ball.''

Complete article:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/columnists/jeff_miller/6967650.htm




#117314 12/15/03 01:12 PM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624
Hard to say - just because it only appeared in the OED a little later doesn't mean to say that it wasn't around prior to that.

I've always understood it to mean "something done to fund something more interesting and possibly superior but which will take longer to complete" which doesn't entirely disagree with the COD's definition or Quinion's explanation.

I've never considered whether it was an Americanism or not. Given that it appeared to emerge during the mid-19th century, the chances are that while it obviously was coined on one side of the pond or the other, it may have become common on both sides fairly quickly, given the literary interchange between the two countries about that time.

Interesting, though, that Quinion's quote talks about paintings, where I had only ever heard it used in relation to literature.

Well, as they say, you live and you learn!


#117315 12/16/03 03:33 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
FWIW - 100 degrees Fahrenheit used to be referred to as "the ton" before we in Oz went metric. Hence when the weather was hot one said, "It's going to hit the ton today".

Nowadays, 38 degrees C is often referred to by those of us that dwell in the past as being "the old ton".

In cricketing circles, when not using the more correct form of "a century" in reference to 100 runs, one may hear that such and such a batsman "hit (or got) a ton". Never "the" ton.

stales


#117316 12/16/03 03:57 AM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 619
G
addict
Offline
addict
G
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 619
I've never considered whether it was an Americanism or not.

On the other hand, Americans never considered whether it was a Euroism or not.

Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. ''He hit that ball a ton.''.

What goes around [the pond], comes around [the pond]. :)

Page 4 of 4 1 2 3 4

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 444 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5