put in = recommend

[Seán Fitzpatrick]

Seems to me the idiom is “put s.o. in FOR” an award.

“Put s.o. UP for” a promotion would make sense, but would make me think the
speaker was using a non-standard dialect (i.e., not one I was used to).
“Put up for” seems to me more neutral than “recommend”, like “nominate” or
“propose”:  “put up for the chairmanship of the Bogsat committee”. 

Seán Fitzpatrick
No oil for pacifists!
http://www.logomachon.blogspot.com/

-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Doyle [mailto:cdoyle at UGA.EDU] 
Sent: Monday, 05 March, 2007 08:20
Subject: Re: put in = recommend

 

I just gotta say, Jonathan, "put (someone) UP" for an award sounds at least
as normal to me as "put (someone) IN" for an award. "Put (someone) UP" for
promotion (to a higher professorial rank, for example) is almost obligatory;
a vertical metaphor may remain somewhat "alive" there.

 

--Charlie

_____________________________________________________________

 

---- Original message ----

>Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2007 08:16:35 -0800

>From: Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>

>Subject: Re: put in = recommend

> 

>_Put up,_" to propose for an honor or award" may well be historically
relevant, but so far as I know, "put in" has been the prodominant U.S. form
by far for many decades

> 

>  JL

> 

>Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU> wrote:

> 

>This seems like a variant of (or, at least, a structurally parallel synonym
for) "put up": OED _put_ verb 1, 56j.(a) "To propose for election or
adoption. Also, to propose for an honour or award" (examples from
1573-1971).

> 

>--Charlie

>______________________________________________________

> 

> 

>---- Original message ----

>>Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 17:21:34 -0800

>>From: Jonathan Lighter

>>Subject: put in = recommend

>> 

>>Meaning "Esp. _Mil._, to recommend (someone) officially for an award,"
virtually standard American English from WWII on, but not in OED:

>> 

>> 1967 in Bill Frey _Letters from 'Nam_ (N.Y.: Warner Books, 1992) 22: I
went out under heavy fire last night to bring in that wounded G.I. and I've
been put in for a Bronze Star.

>> 

>> WWII related cites are myriad, but I don't believe I've seen one
antedating 1942.

>> 

>> JL

> 

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