"Lawn and Order"

[Laurence Horn]

At 11:31 AM -0400 8/31/05, sagehen wrote:
>  >A reference to a film available through the National Film Board of Canada
>>brought to my attention (as title of the film) the phrase "Lawn and Order."
>>
>>A google search produced over 700 hits.  In addition to the film, it was
>>also the title of an exhibit in Toronto (and perhaps travelling, as well as
>>a number of newspaper articles, etc.  This set of usages seems to be
>>concerned with 'lawn ornaments' as cultural phenomena.
>>
>>In addition, the phrase seems to be in use in connection with
>>gardening/landscaping articles, and perhaps other topics, in USA perhaps
>>even more than Canada.
>>
>>Surely derived from 'law and order,' possibly following the popular
>>television series, but of course 'law and order' substantially predates
>>that production.
>>
>>What interests me about the phrase is how clumsy it sounds, to my ear, and
>>to my vocal tract as I try to say it.  While it appears reasonably 'clever'
>>in print, when vocalized it seems just the opposite (IMHO).
>>
>>If this were ever phrase were ever to gain vocalized currency, would it be
>>likely to be subjected to elision (as in Law'n Order)?  Does it seem
>>reasonable that an elided pronunciation was the original intent?
>>
>>For whatever reason, I'm unable to read 'lawn and order' with elision,
>>unless I force myself to do it.  So as it exists in print form, I find it
>>downright unpleasant to read, and to say.  Nor do I feel comfortable with
>>the elided form.
>>
>>Any comments?
>>
>>Michael McKernan
>~~~~~~~~~~
>Just so.
>AM

I'd vote for "lawn order" over "lawn and order", although I see I'd
lose a google vote, 740 to 506.

Larry