"close enough for government work" 1965

[Jonathan Lighter]

"1965" in the title is in error. "1968," as cited, is correct. Sorry.

  JL

Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM> wrote:
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Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Jonathan Lighter
Subject: "close enough for government work" 1965
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I first heard this in 1973. The earliest I've found it in print is

1968 Fred MacKenzie The Men of Bastogne (N.Y.: David McKay) 189 [ref. to 1944] : [Lieut. Col.] Harry Kinnard quipped, "That's close enough for government work."

JL


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