Pisshouse & Rawson

[Joel S. Berson]

Dear Jonathan <abecedary.net at zen.co.uk>,

I have looked in Hugh Rawson's two printings (the 1989 is titled
"Wicked Words"; the 1991 "A Dictionary of Invective").  They appear
to be identical.  I do not find "piss-house" in either.  Nor
"shit-house", nor "ram-beggur", nor the complete quotation.  Can you
cite the page for me?  If it is not in Rawson, from where did you get
it for your database?

Joel

>At 6/22/2006 11:45 AM, Jonathon wrote [sent to me privately, but
>copied to ADS-L for wider interest]:
>>Dear Joel,
>>...
>>Please don't take it amiss - as I say, it is a fantastic predate -
>>but were you aware of Rawson? I have it in my own database on that
>>basis, but never thought to check the OED.
>>...
>>Far be it from me to (I'm sorry, I cannot resist) piss on anyone's
>>parade - and before we go any further, it is a _great_ predate,
>>Joel: any more at home like that? - but Hugh Rawson references the
>>selfsame line in his _Dict.
>> >> of Invective_ 1989); whether he offers chapter and verse I
>>cannot, temporarily exiled from my copy, say. But it's there,
>>'rambeggur' and all.
>
>I will be going post-haste (as they said in the same period) to a
>library to check--and if Rawson does not cite his source, then the
>(OED) credit surely belongs to me!

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