Slangfest (fwd)

[Peter A. McGraw]

Sent to me individually by mistake.  Forwarded with Jim's permission.

PMc

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Date: Monday, August 30, 2004 5:32 PM -0500
From: Jim Parish <jparish at siue.edu>
To: "Peter A. McGraw" <pmcgraw at LINFIELD.EDU>
Subject: Re: Slangfest

The word "slang", as a verb, means "to abuse someone with words", as
in "a slanging match"; I suspect this is the meaning Gergen intends.

Jim Parish

> Peter A. McGraw wrote:
>
> I know I should check HDAS and OED first, but our new library is a
> 15-minute walk away instead of next door like the old one, I'm stuck at my
> computer right now, and in any case I hope to learn more from (and be more
> entertained by) replies to a posting to this list.
>
> In a column about the Swift Boat attack ads and Kerry's response to them,
> David Gergen says: "A quarter-century ago, they [the Swift Boat Veterans'
> allegations] would have faded away without much discussion.  But in an age
> of slangfests on radio and cable news, it was inevitable that conservative
> hosts would blow up the story" (The Oregonian, 8/30/04).
>
> I did search for the word on Google, which found "about 12" occurrences
> (and which asked me if I meant "swingfest" and helpfully offered some
> links to swinging singles and couples sites*).  Some are clearly literal
> nonce coinages--e.g., a book review which calls HDAS a "slangfest."  In
> most cases the meaning is hard to pin down from the context, but some of
> them COULD mean what Gergen apparently means--i.e., something like a
> slugfest, but with words instead of physical blows.
>
> This is a totally new word to me.  Has anybody else run across it?
>
> Peter Mc.
>
>
> * Are these the "swing voters" we hear so much about these days?? :)
>
> *****************************************************************
> Peter A. McGraw       Linfield College        McMinnville, Oregon
> ******************* pmcgraw at linfield.edu ************************



---------- End Forwarded Message ----------



*****************************************************************
Peter A. McGraw       Linfield College        McMinnville, Oregon
******************* pmcgraw at linfield.edu ************************