Antedating of "JAP" (UNCLASSIFIED)

Jesse Sheidlower jester at PANIX.COM
Tue Dec 30 22:04:20 UTC 2008


Not exactly; the OED doesn't have a lemma for "Jewish American
Princess".  It's under _princess_, where there's a 1966 for
"Jewish princess" but nothing at all for the fuller form. The
1970 LAT cite doesn't show "JAP".

Also, three days ago Fred did acknowledge this very quotation:

http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0807C&L=ADS-L&P=R4424&I=-3

Also, four years ago Jerome Foster mentioned the Iota Alpha Pi
story, in his version as being inspired by "Jewish American
Princess" rather than the other way around:

http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0401C&L=ADS-L&P=R982&I=-3

Jesse Sheidlower
OED

On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 03:57:46PM -0600, Mullins, Bill AMRDEC wrote:
> Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
> Caveats: NONE
>
> While recognizing that Fred's probable cite of JAP/Jewish American Princess below is only a library visit away from becoming definite, I offer the following, which unambiguously antedates the OED:
>
> "Party-Goer Pinch Hits for Gossip Columnist" BURT PRELUTSKY _Los Angeles Times_ ; Aug 9, 1970; pg. N15 col 3
> "Geoff Miller (of Los Angeles magazine) and Barbara ("I'm a Jewish American Princess") Selcer are telling everyone they're just friends."
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: American Dialect Society
> > [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Shapiro, Fred
> > Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 10:55 AM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: Antedating of "JAP"
> >
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> > Subject:      Antedating of "JAP"
> > --------------------------------------------------------------
> > -----------------
> >
> > OED and HDAS have 1972 as their first use for _J.A.P._
> > 'Jewish American Princess.'  Google Books gives the
> > following, probably authentic occurrence:
> >
> >
> > Transatlantic Reviewý - Page 69
> > 1969-70
> >
> > To my Jap - my Jewish American Princess.
> >
> >
> > I have not, however, verified this in the original.
> >
> > Fred Shapiro
>
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
> Caveats: NONE
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



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