scam

[Jonathan Lighter]

If "bug" can be "bus," "scan" can be "scam."

JL

Benjamin Zimmer <bgzimmer at RCI.RUTGERS.EDU> wrote:
---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Benjamin Zimmer
Subject: Re: scam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Fri, 8 Jul 2005 17:26:57 -0500, Mullins, Bill
wrote:

>> Rare indeed. In fact, this is the only ex. I know of, and
>> predates the post 1968 popularity of "scam" meaning "to
>> obtain by deceit."
>
>I wonder how much faith to put into the IMSDB -- are quotes accurate?
>Was the original line "you scan a car up there?" which would be much
>clearer.

Yeah, it's probably just a scamming error.



--Ben Zimmer

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