bargaining chips

[Baker, John]

        But that postulates a change in meaning.  From the earliest cites, a bargaining chip is something that you give up in exchange for something that is more valuable to you.  Not that the change in meaning is too much of a stretch, but there's no evidence for it.  Contrary to Mr. Rumsfeld, absence of evidence is evidence (though not proof) of absence.

John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
Of sagehen
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 12:05 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: bargaining chips


It seems reasonable to me that the "chip" could come from poker without
stretching, since the chip represents a challenge to the other players to
meet it or back off. "Bargaining" is added when "chip" becomes the metaphor
for the challenge put on the table in negotiations.
(I lay my two cents on the table!)
A. Murie