red herring; passivism; Malaya

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On 6/30/07, Stephen Goranson <goranson at duke.edu> wrote:
>
> OED 2b ...to attempt to divert attention from the real question; hence red
> herring, a subject intended to have this effect. 1884
>
> 1877 Parliamentary Debates: Official Report By Sierra Leone House of
> Representatives, Legislature p.335 This compensation question is merely a red
> herring drawn across the scent, in order to capsize the Bill. It is not
> brought
> forward out of regard for the publicans... (Google Book)
> _____

This looks to be one of those rare cases where Google Books gives a
correct year and an incorrect title, rather than vice versa. The title
page says this is from the Parliamentary Debates of New Zealand, not
Sierra Leone.


--Ben Zimmer

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