Most Decimating

[Laurence Horn]

At 6:36 AM -0800 3/26/06, Dave Wilton wrote:
>I hadn't noticed the use of "crew" until I was writing the email. Probably
>because the transitive verb usage is a pretty standard military usage and
>wasn't new to me. It means to operate a crew-served weapon as part of a crew
>rather than to control or command a crew.
>
>--Dave Wilton
>   dave at wilton.net

AHD4, v. tr.: 'to serve as a member of a crew on', with an example
from a space station.

>-----Original Message-----
>From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
>Gordon, Matthew J.
>Sent: Saturday, March 25, 2006 10:00 PM
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject: Re: Most Decimating
>
>I also like the use of 'crew' as not only a transitive verb but also in the
>imperative. This seems like a usage that would almost never come up outside
>the world of video games (i.e. where a single player may control a crew).
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Dave Wilton
>Sent: Sat 3/25/2006 8:54 PM
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject:      Most Decimating
>
>I was attending the Game Developer's Conference in San Jose all this week
>and playing in my company's booth was a trailer for the video game "Red
>Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45" that read:
>
>"The Most Decimating Front In WWII
>11,285,000 Soviet Casualties
>Defend Your Motherland
>And Fight For Survival
>Experience Truly Immersive Combat
>24 Authentic Weapons
>Crew 14 Fully Realized Vehicles
>13 Intense Combat Environments
>A Revolution In Online Warfare
>Red Orchestra Ostfront 41-45"
>
>
>--Dave Wilton
>   dave at wilton.net
>
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