"blimp"

[Laurence Horn]

At 5:10 PM -0500 4/3/01, Barnhart wrote:
>This "Type B-limp" story is supported by the Barnhart Dictionary of
>Etymology following the general designation "of uncertain origin."
>There is some speculation that it was coined by Horace Shortt, a
>British aviator.
>
>Regards,
>David K. Barnhart, Editor
>The Barnhart Dictionary Companion [quarterly]

The Shortt story (errk) and the Cunningham onomatopoeic version
mentioned by Jonathon Green seem to be the most popular, but in other
sources, including the OED, the putative coinage by Shortt has no
connection with "B-limp", which I confess I do find dubious on the
face of it without any concrete evidence.

larry