When You Assume (1984)

[Dave Wilton]

The phrase also appears in an episode of "The Odd Couple," which aired on 16
Feb 1973, title: "My Strife in Court." If not the origin, this is certainly
when the phrase went mainstream.

In the episode, Tony Randall, playing Felix, writes the words on a
blackboard too. It makes one wonder if all these teachers were just
imitating what they saw on TV.

--Dave Wilton
  dave at wilton.net
  http://www.wilton.net


> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> Of Laurence Horn
> Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2004 7:27 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: When You Assume (1984)
>
>
> At 9:50 AM -0400 5/12/04, Baker, John wrote:
> >         I well remember an eighth grade teacher, in 1973, saying
> >"when you assume, you make an ass out of you and me," and writing
> >"ASSUME" and "ASS U ME" on the blackboard.  He said that he learned
> >this in the Marine Corps.
> >
> >John Baker
>
> But is West Haven, CT the first school system in which a teacher was
> suspended (a few years ago) for writing that on the blackboard, on
> the grounds that "ass" is an obscenity?
>
> Larry (who was prompted by this episode to publish a letter to the
> editor on taboo avoidance in the New Haven Register)
>
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> >Of Bapopik at AOL.COM
> >Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2004 1:38 AM
> >To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> >Subject: American as Apple Pie (1921); A Little Garlic (1935); When You
> >Assume (1984)
> >
> >
> >WHEN YOU ASSUME...
> >
> >WHEN YOU ASSUME + ASS + YOU + ME--2,300 Google hits,  3,880 Google Groups
> >hits
> >
> >    Not a food phrase, but just going down the list.
> >
> >
> >(WWW.NEWSPAPERARCHIVE.COM)
> >Chronicle Telegram - 4/1/1986
> >...WHEN YOU ASSUME soMEthing, YOU put an 'ASS' before V and
> 'ME.'" They were
> >right.....By Gary Larson WE RSKBP TO surnaME -ME ME 65 IT MS
> I..AFTBR HAVW M
> >fiFFAlK..
> >
> >News - 5/7/1993
> >...We all know what happens WHEN YOU ASSUME soMEthing: YOU make
> an ASS out
> >of.....Ms. Ashley said. never occurred to ME to go through the criminal
> >justice..
> >Frederick, Maryland Friday, May 07, 1993  527 k
> >
> >
> >(GOOGLE GROUPS)
> >Re: Re: Re: The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson
> >... Sorry for the misinformation. Greg Muth PS: "when you
> ASSUME, you make an
> >ASS out of U and ME." Helen Flint My sophomore History Teacher
> >net.music - Jan 9, 1984 by Gregory Muth - View Thread (2 articles)
>
>