Toxic gumbo

[bapopik at AOL.COM]

Check the Google hits! "Toxic Gumbo" is also the name of a comic. It's the localized name for a "cancer alley" or "asthma alley" and did not originate just yesterday.
...
...
(GOOGLE)
Toxic Gumbo: In the "Cancer Belt," Louisiana Black Communities ...
An exploration of toxic waste and environmental racism in New Orleans and Baton
Rouge, Louisiana that disproportionately affects African Americans there.
www.seeingblack.com/x040901/toxic_gumbo.shtml - 40k - Cached - Similar pages

-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Sent: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 08:44:56 -0700
Subject: Re: Toxic gumbo


The real question is whether it will become fully lexicalized. I doubt it, but I
suspect the newsfolk will trot it out forever as long as there's a justifiable
context, e.g., any extensive flooding on the southern Mississippi.

JL

Barnhart <barnhart at HIGHLANDS.COM> wrote:

---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Barnhart
Subject: Re: Toxic gumbo
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Very true. A good metaphor. However, is the term going to disappear a
year down the road?

Regards,
David

barnhart at highlands.com

American Dialect Society on Monday, August 29,
2005 at 11:21 AM -0500 wrote:
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender: American Dialect Society
>Poster: Jonathan Lighter
>Subject: Re: Toxic gumbo
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Fox News Channel used it yesterday, in reference to the combination of
>dirt, oil, debris, and toxic waste expected to pollute flood waters from
>Katrina.
>
>I wouldn't call this a "stunt term," just a metaphor. An apt one, too.
>"Gumbo" is widely used in La. for both a kind of thick stew and a kind of
>thick mud.
>
>JL
>
>Barnhart wrote:
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender: American Dialect Society
>Poster: Barnhart
>Subject: Re: Toxic gumbo
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>This may just be a "stunt word", to use John Algeo's term for made-up
>words that often do not have any longevity.
>
>Regards,
>David
>
>barnhart at highlands.com
>
>American Dialect Society on Monday, August 29,
>2005 at 9:12 AM -0500 wrote:
>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>-----------------------
>>Sender: American Dialect Society
>>Poster: bapopik at AOL.COM
>>Subject: Toxic gumbo
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>"Toxic gumbo" is being used on AOL for the New Orleans "Katrina & the
>>Waves" storm today.
>
>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
>http://mail.yahoo.com


---------------------------------
Yahoo! Mail for Mobile
 Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone.