Covert Charge/Cats/Chops

[Mark Odegard]

Gareth Branwyn :
>
>My wife (the jazz singer) came home from a gig the other night with a
>question she wanted me to address to the list: A patron told her that in
>one of the episodes of Ken Burn's Jazz, there is a sign that's visible on
>the door of a club that says: "No Minimum or Covert Charges." This person
>asked my wife if, despite the obvious, "cover charge" might come
>from "covert charge." Seems unlikely, but I told her I'd ask.

I have no knowledge on this, but the association of 'covert charge' and
'cover charge' is the sort of thing rather educated native English speakers
do.

'Cover' and 'covert' are differently stressed. I don't see how 'k at -v@r' and
'ko-VURT' could possibly be confused -- except in the minds of us'uns, those
of us here on this list who search out ancient Scandic cognates for 'boxer
shorts'.

A cover charge is essentially an admission charge, to cover the overhead,
one that goes hand-in-hand with the idea that menu prices should otherwise
be kept within reason. A covert charge would be uncontracted-for (but you
gotta pay them) charges.
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