[Ads-l] Snasu (variant), was Re: Antedating of "Snafu" by Barry Popik

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Thanks Stephen. I agree that the "snasu" variant is interesting. Many
thanks, Ben, for locating my message about "snasu" from the
antediluvian age.

I just located an interesting instance of "S N A F U" in March 1940.
Unfortunately, this "S N A F U" might be illusory. See the following
description.

Date: March 12, 1940
Newspaper: Detroit Evening Times
Newspaper Location: Detroit, Michigan
Section: Detroit Times Daily Magazine Page
Article: Wishing Well (puzzle)
Quote Page 12, Column 5
Database: Newspapers.com
Database: British Newspaper Archive
Database: GenealogyBank

[Begin excerpt]
WISHING WELL

4 3 6 5 8 2 4 6 7 3 5 8 4
B A S N A F U U R C E C Y

2 6 7 3 8 4 6 5 8 7 2 4 6
L C E O T T C W O U A H E

4 3 6 5 7 8 4 2 6 8 3 5 6
E M S I N N U T S I P N I
[End excerpt]

Above are the top six rows from a puzzle with 14 rows. The puzzle
contains the following contiguous sequence of five letters "S N A F
U". The puzzle also contains the following sequence "N U T S".

It is possible that a mischievous puzzle constructor deliberately
inserted "S N A F U" and "N U T S". However, the solution to the
puzzle is unrelated to these sequences, so I guess we have to assume
that these sequences were simply coincidental.

I also came across another variant acronym "Susfu" with a June 1942
citation. The meaning is not explained in this citation, but I found
another instance that decoded the first two letters as "Situation
unchanged"; hence, "Situation unchanged still fouled up".

Date: June 25, 1942
Newspaper: The Jersey Journal
Newspaper Location: Jersey City, New Jersey
Article: Signal Corps Work Vital in Modern War
Author: Martin Gately (Staff Reporter)
Quote Page 2, Column 5
Database: Newspapers.com
Database: GenealogyBank

[Begin excerpt]
The newsmen, accompanied by officers, were taken through the Signal
Corps Technical Schools, where, among other things, they were
initiated into the meaning of such phrases as "Snafu" and "Susfu."
Among the schools visited was the code building where the men who
tapped out the last messages from Bataan were taught.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Tue, Nov 24, 2020 at 12:46 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Back in 2009, Garson O'Toole found the "snasu" variant in Time magazine,
> Aug. 18, 1941.
>
> ---
> http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2009-December/094658.html
> Citation: 1941 Aug. 18, National Defense: Problem of Morale, Time magazine.
> Another outfit used another word as response to almost any question: Snasu
> ("Situation normal: all screwed up"). For the low state of Army morale was
> merely brought into the open by the draft-extension bill.
> http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,802126,00.html
> ---
>
> As for the 1941 Google Books hit for "snafu," I assume that's the
> appearance in the Sept. '41 issue of American Notes and Queries, as given
> in OED2.
>
> --bgz
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 24, 2020 at 5:34 AM Stephen Goranson <goranson at duke.edu> wrote:
>
> > Oct. 26 , 1941, Charlotte Observer [NC; AmHistN; "...Army Lingo..."] 48/4
> > Snasu: an expression of disgust when things go wrong. Literally "Situation
> > normal, all screwed up."
> >
> > [GB gives snafu also as 1941, but not confirmed.]
> >
> > Stephen Goranson
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of
> > Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> > Sent: Monday, November 23, 2020 11:07 AM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Subject: Antedating of "Snafu" by Barry Popik
> >
> > I cannot overstate the riches that are contained in Barry Popik's
> > wonderful website barrypopik.com.  Here is an antedating he has for
> > "snafu."  This is a slight antedating in terms of chronology, but I think
> > it is worth highlighting because "snafu" is such an important term.
> >
> > snafu (OED 1941 [Sept.])
> >
> > 5 June 1941, Daily Times (Chicago, IL), pg. 10, col. 2:
> > Army’s all snafu
> > Snakes, bugs halt ‘battle march
> > By KEITH WHEELER
> > (TIMES Staff Correspondent)
> > Bell Buckle, Tenn., June 5.—“Everything, said 1st. Lieut. Robert G.
> > Anderson, executive officer of company G. 2d battalion, (New York)
> > infantry, 27th division “is turning out snafu.”
> > (...)
> > What,” The Times asked, “does snafu means?”
> >
> > Fred Shapiro
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society -
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> >
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> >
>
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