[sic] of the day: earmarks

[Joel S. Berson]

While I do not recall a source--secondary or primary--referring to
the process as "earmarking", cropping of ears (removal of part or
whole, or slitting) was a common criminal punishment in the 18th
century.  The first source I put my hands on is David Copeland's
_Colonial American Newspapers_, page 94.  Or Google for <ear cropping
punishment colonial>.  Or Wikipedia's article "Docking (animals)" but
look for "judicial physical punishment".

Joel

At 8/11/2006 11:20 PM, you wrote:
>So, convicts were once earmarked? I've always associated the term with
>the notching of the ears of swine for purposes of identification.
>
>-Wilson
>
>On 8/11/06, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>-----------------------
>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>>Subject:      Re: [sic] of the day: earmarks
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>Yes, me too, which I didn't say in my other posting.
>>
>>Joel
>>
>>At 8/11/2006 09:39 AM, you wrote:
>> >Since the start of this thread I've noticed
>> >"earmarks/hallmarks/markings of al-Qaeda" all used. "Earmarks" is
>> >the term I'd probably use.
>> >
>> >Gerald Cohen
>> >
>> >________________________________
>> >
>> >Original message:
>> >
>> >Chris Waigl quoted from the Guardian:
>> >
>> > > FBI director Robert Mueller says: "This had the earmarks [sic] of an
>> > > al-Qaida plot"
>> >
>> >My paper copy of today's Guardian hasn't yet arrived but when it does I'll
>> >check if it's there. If I'd read "earmarks" unwarned, I would certainly
>> >have marked it: the usage would look to me like an error for "hallmark".
>> >
>> >
>> >--
>> >Michael Quinion
>> >Editor, World Wide Words
>> >E-mail: wordseditor at worldwidewords.org
>> >Web: http://www.worldwidewords.org
>> >
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>
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>
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>
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