More evidence for the reanalysis of "mano a mano"

[Laurence Horn]

This is an eggcorn previously discussed on the list, as you'll
recall, and also featured on Chris Waigl's rollcall and on Language
Log.  The new evidence is very much along the lines of my earlier
"womano a womano" posts, indicating that "mano a mano" has long since
shifted for many speakers from "hand to hand" to "man to man".

OK, this comes to you from the premiere of "Love Monkey", Tom
Cavanagh's new "comedy-drama about music, men, and the city" (to
quote last week's NYT "Television" filler) on CBS last Tuesday.

At one point, Cavanagh's character is trying to lure a young
singer/guitarist to his new personal label by touring the holy sites
of the New York music scene.  Here's Cavanagh's voice-over as the two
of them strum outside the famed East Village club CBGB:

"We channelled the spirits of the rock-and-roll gods as we launched
into a vicious contest of dueling guitars.  Two virtuosos
mano-a-mano.  Well, mano-a-kiddo."

larry

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