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<div>Please don't write in about the word "suggered." Just
note that the "g" is right next to the "f" on the
keyboard.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>dInIs</div>
<div><br></div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>When I was a kid and worked in my
parents' paint and wallpaper store, a 'jackleg painter' was a
combination of several of the following facts:</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>1) non-union</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>2) self-taught</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>3) unreliable (often suffering from
painters' colic, although respected<x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite><x-tab>
</x-tab>professionals also suggered from this malady)</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>4) not full-time</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>5) not skilled (i.e., producing shoddy
work, not just failing to appear, failing</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite><x-tab> </x-tab>to pay
workers or bills, as is suggested in 3))</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>6) worked for less (obviously connected
to 1))</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>In short, it was a "general
negative," and any one of these features might have been
highlighted in a single instantiation. It would be difficult to say
which were the required and which were the optional features for the
semantics of it.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>dInIs</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>PS: Before you ask, "painters'
colic" is the need for strong drink after work to cut the paint
fumes from your throat. A better excuse than many; at least it fronted
a physical rather than psychological need.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Arial" size="-1">Thank all of
you for the input on jackleg/jakeleg/jake brakes:<br>
the usual mixture of erudition, wisecracks, informed specu-<br>
lation, and inimitable "other" that I so love about this
list and<br>
its contributors.<br>
<br>
Have at least some good general possibilities in mind now<br>
for the derivation of "jackleg" and
"jakeleg"...and the latter's<br>
merely fortuitous (though Jacobs Manufacturing Company<br>
might consider it otherwise) connection to "jake brake."<br>
<br>
Wondering now what are the parameters for "jackleg" ?
As<br>
Jonathan Green mentioned, it seems usually applied to
"various<br>
incompetent, unskilled or unprincipled
professionals"...preachers,<br>
lawyers, and I believe I've heard doctors so termed. Can't
recall<br>
an instance of<u> other</u> professions...pharmacists, librarians,
etc...<br>
it might be applied to, however.<br>
<br>
On the other hand, "jackleg (car-)mechanic" is well
recognized;<br>
and again, believe I've heard it of plumbers. So a jackleg
(my<br>
father's use was that non-specific) can also be blue-collar, I
pre-<br>
sume ?<br>
<br>
Finally, Is there included a sense of "self-proclaimed" or
"self-taught;"<br>
and in the latter case, might a jackleg mechanic (for example) be<br>
fully as competent, skilled and principled as Mr. Goodwrench ?<br>
<br>
<br>
<span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span> Steve Hicks<br>
<span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span> Hicks
Information</font></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>--<br>
Dennis R. Preston<br>
Department of Linguistics and Languages<br>
Michigan State University<br>
East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA<br>
preston@pilot.msu.edu<br>
Office: (517)353-0740<br>
Fax: (517)432-2736</blockquote>
<div><br></div>
<div>-- <br>
Dennis R. Preston<br>
Department of Linguistics and Languages<br>
Michigan State University<br>
East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA<br>
preston@pilot.msu.edu<br>
Office: (517)353-0740<br>
Fax: (517)432-2736</div>
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