Thoughts about the proposed book of Barry's material

[Gerald Cohen]

    Since Michael Quinion has a MS in progress on the topic Ron
Butters an Larry Horn would like addressed, it seems best to wait for
the appearance of that book before starting what might be at least a
partial duplication of that work.

     The rebutting of false etymologies can proceed along two lines:1)
specifically addressing the issue of false etymologies (Michael
Quinion's book) and 2) preparing thorough studies of individual items
so that a single book would suffice to provide all the relevant
information.

      My main interest is in the second approach.  My 1991 monograph
on "The Big Apple" needs a revised edition to incorporate Barry's
material which has thus far appeared in various articles. Due credit
would of course be given, and Barry should be listed as co-author.
Similarly, the extensive material on "hot dog" needs to be compiled
into a book.

     This is all doable, it just takes time. Meanwhile, I remain open
to suggestions/input for possible worthwhile projects.

Gerald Cohen



>At 8:56 AM +0000 3/11/03, Michael Quinion wrote:
>Laurence Horn wrote:
>
>>  A book (perhaps with apposite illustrations) including the "Windy
>>  City" and "hot dog" follies and countless others, presented as a
>>  case of linguistic detective work, might be just the thing.  At
>>  least when a solid demonstration is offered in book form published
>>  by a major house, it's nothing to be sneezed at.  And consider, as
>>  another parallel, the wonderful and very well received recent
>>  compilation _Language Myths_, edited by Laurie Bauer and Peter
>>  Trudgill (Penguin, 1998).  So how about a book on false
>>  attributions--Barry?  Jerry?  anyone?
>
>I'm in the final stages of preparing the MS for just this work, to be
>published by Penguin. It will contain the Windy City and hot dog
>stories, plus many others (with appropriate attributions of research,
>of course).
>...
>--
>Michael Quinion
>Editor, World Wide Words
>E-mail: <TheEditor at worldwidewords.org>
>Web: <http://www.worldwidewords.org/>