"shout-out" as reanalysis

[Wilson Gray]

I was merely playing devil's advocate, Ben. Somehow, I missed your
plural examples, which constitute a "knock-down argument," to coin a
phrase, in support of your analysis. The singular instances don't
constitute strong evidence against the claim that "shout-out" is not
simply based upon such common forms as "shoot-out," "put-out," etc.,
in which case, re-analysis is unnecessary as an explanation.

-Wilson

On 7/11/07, Benjamin Zimmer <bgzimmer at babel.ling.upenn.edu> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Benjamin Zimmer <bgzimmer at BABEL.LING.UPENN.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: "shout-out" as reanalysis
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> On 7/11/07, Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > The case would be even more compelling, if Whitman could show instances of
> >
> > I want to send out a shout to my friends.
> >
> > Otherwise, it might be argued that "shout-out" is modelled on the
> > example of such locutions as "put-out," "fake-out," "force-out,"
> > "lock-out," "take-out," "stake-out," etc.
>
> Not exactly sure what you mean, Wilson. What do you make of the early
> Usenet cites that I rustled up?
>
> Singular:
> "Let me get a shout out to the MAINE posse." (4/13/91)
> "Please send a shout out to them for me because I can't get that
> newsgroup." (4/13/91)
> "They are also giving a shout out to Kool Moe Dee, late of the
> Terrible Three." (6/21/91)
>
> Plural:
> "Quik gives a few shouts out to those who helped him with the album." (9/30/91)
> "Treach sends shouts out to the entire Flavor Unit as well as all the
> members of D.U." (3/24/92)
> "But what I want to know is why so many rappers give shouts out to the
> Awesome 2 in the credits." (4/6/92)
>
> Those examples seem to follow an entirely different patterning from
> what you'd find with the other "X-out" forms you mention.
>
>
> --Ben Zimmer
>
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