Safire/NY Times (request re "grab ahold) (fwd)

[Mark A. Mandel]

See the request below and my reply. I can hardly imagine a more awkward time
than the eve and first day of Passover!

-- Mark
[This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 11:59:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark A. Mandel <mamandel at ldc.upenn.edu>
To: juliet mohnkern <juliet.mohnkern at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Safire/NY Times (request re "grab ahold)

I haven't received any phone message from you; maybe you have an out of date
phone number for me and left a message there.

While I would like to be able to help you out with this, I'm afraid I don't
have time this week, especially since Passover begins tonight and I will not
be working tomorrow. I will forward your question to the American Dialect
Society list. Perhaps another list member will be able to assist you.

-- Mark A. Mandel
    Linguistic Data Consortium, University of Pennsylvania
    [This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]

On Mon, 2 Apr 2007, juliet mohnkern wrote:

#Hi Professor Mandel
#
#As I mentioned on the phone my name is Juliet, and I am William Safire's
#research assistant for On Language.  I am writing because I have an query
#for Mr. Safire's column with which I was hoping you might be able to help.
#I am currently looking into the phrase " grab ahold" as in the President
#Bush's quotation regarding Social Security, the third rail of American
#politics: "You grab ahold of it, and you get electrified.''  I was wondering
#if you could look at the below questions and offer your thoughts on this
#particular topic.  Any insights you could provide would be greatly
#appreciated.
#
#If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 860-997-8028.
#
#My deadline is Tuesday by 8pm so if you could respond before then, I would
#be very appreciative.
#
#Thank you again and have a wonderful day.
#
#-Juliet
#
#Grab Ahold Questions
#
#1. Should "grab ahold" be hypenated?  Should there be a space between a and
#hold? What is the correct usage?
#
#2. What is its origin?  Is it a new construction?
#
#3. Are there any similar constructions? Is the formation of ahold part of a
#larger linguistic phenomenon?
#
#4. Have you noticed this phrase being used more often recently?
#
#5. When do you remember first seeing it used?
#
#6.  Has its meaning or usage changed over time?
#
#7. Please also include a brief biography of yourself or a sentence about how
#you would like to be cited in the column.
#
#
#--
#Juliet Mohnkern
#MA Candidate
#Ethics Peace and Global Affairs
#American University
#juliet.mohnkern at gmail.com
#

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org