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

[Wilson Gray]

What about "aloose," as in "get aloose," which is just as grammatical
as "get ahold / get aholt" for me? OED Online has "aloose" only as an
obsolete verb.

-Wilson

On 4/2/07, Charles Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: Safire/NY Times (request re "grab ahold) (fwd)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I look forward to Arnold's detailed and interesting response. In the meantime, however, I wonder why the Safire staffer didn't look up "ahold" in the OED?
>
> --Charlie
> _____________________________________________________________
>
> ---- Original message ----
> >Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 12:02:28 -0400
> >From: "Mark A. Mandel" <mamandel at LDC.UPENN.EDU>
> >Subject: Re: Safire/NY Times (request re "grab ahold)
> >
> >See the request below and my reply. I can hardly imagine a more awkward time than the eve and first day of Passover!
> >
> >-- Mark
> >
> >
>
> >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I haven't received any phone message from you; maybe you have an out of date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
>


--
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
                                                      -Sam'l Clemens

Dope wil get you through times of no money better than money will get
you through times of no dope.
-----
                                         -Free-Wheeling Franklin

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