natural selection at work

[Michael H Covarrubias]

>From a story about Perry Caravello's lawsuit against Johnny Knoxville, Jimmy
Kimmel, and Adam Carolla because they didn't pay him for setting mousetrap on
his genitals:

> "'Plaintiff agreed to do so, and,
> much to his emotional tranquility
> and to his physical harm, was
> severely injured when the trap
> literally went on his manhood,'
> the suit contended."

"to his emotional tranquility"?

Is there a meaning here that I've not heard?

Or does the sentence have an awkward use of "and to his physical harm" as a
parenthetical? The slight rewording thus:

"'Plaintiff agreed to do so, and, greatly affecting his emotional tranquility
(and of course it caused him physical harm,) he was severely injured when the
trap literally went on his manhood,' the suit contended."

Otherwise Caravello can meditate through anything.

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