more back-formed shopping

Wilson Gray hwgray at GMAIL.COM
Wed Dec 3 20:43:47 UTC 2008


I first heard FOOD-SHOP spoken in 1962 by a black female friend in Los
Angeles. It made an indelible impression on me because that was the
first time that I'd ever heard this expression. Theretofore, I'd heard
and used only "go to the store" in this meaning. I was taken aback, to
say the least. Now, that I think about it, she was also the first
black person that I ever heard use "Jesus (Christ)!" as an exclamation
(FWIWirrefutable evidence that she knew white people socially as
opposed to merely necessarily; very rare from the lips of a black
person, even today) instead of the now-stereotypical, but,
nevertheless, still-typical, [Si:It], etc. and was also the source of
"pearltongue" as a slang term for "clitoris"; "pull," seduce a woman,
for love or for money; "catch," acquire a client for an act of
prostitution; "break luck," acquire the first client of the evening;
"catching clothes" attractive, stylish dress (not *provocative*; in
L.A., back in the day, "common night-walkers," in the 'hood, at least,
blended right in with the well-dressed, "square" female population,
"turn [a woman] out" turn ... into a prostitute (in later years, I was
surprised to find this phrase used in like manner by "Walter" of MY
SECRET LIFE fame).

-Wilson

All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
-Mark Twain



On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 10:31 AM, Arnold Zwicky <zwicky at stanford.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Arnold Zwicky <zwicky at STANFORD.EDU>
> Subject:      more back-formed shopping
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> back on 28 November i reported on the two-part back-formed verb
> "holiday-shop".  there are, of course, more X-shop verbs.  some where
> X is an occasion, some where X is the object of the shopping, some
> where X is the person for whom one shops.
>
> type (2) is quite productive.  the many examples i give below are only
> a sample of what's out there.
>
> (1) CHRISTMAS-SHOP
>
>   How to Christmas Shop for Kids: Great Gift Ideas for Children and ...
> kidsproducts.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_christmas_shop_for_kids
>
>   Do you plan to Christmas shop early Friday morning?
> www.irontontribune.com/polls/2008/nov/shop/
>
>   Her Royal Highness and Little Sister Princess Margaret Rose
> Christmas-shopped eagerly in "a sixpenny store somewhere in
> Scotland." ...
> www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,762110-2,00.html
>
>   Speaking of Paris ... another site's reporting she's on her way to
> Miami but we' re with her now as she Christmas shops in LA ...
> x17online.com/celebrities/britney_spears/britneys_man_idd.php
>
> BIRTHDAY-SHOP
>
>   Off to birthday shop, a bit. She won't be getting the only things
> she's written down on a list so far, ...
> ninjapoodles.blogspot.com/2007/10/two-down-one-to-go-plus-halloween.html
>
>   Ever have to birthday shop for that one person who never tells you
> what they want, or is just plain hard to please?
> www.maggieboriginalsblog.com/category/gift-baskets/birthday/
>
>   Sister Britney was spotted leaving Ed Hardy where she birthday
> shopped with [sic] Jamie-Lynn with their Mom.
> www.celebritybabyscoop.com/2008/04/04/happy-birthday-jamie-lynn/
>
>   Britney Spears Birthday Shops for Sis Jamie Lynn. April 12th,
> 2008 ... She also picked up a few things for her brother and father.
> newpaparazzi.com/2008/04/12/britney-spears-birthday-shops-for-sis-
> jamie- lynn/
>
> WEDDING-SHOP
>
>   That leaves 1 or 2 days to wedding shop and arrange consultations.
> www.atlanticcityweddings.com/advertising.htm
>
>   In the last nine days, I traveled 3316 miles, did a session at the
> San Diego temple, wedding shopped, ate an 18 dollar tomato, ...
> thedecorias.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.html
>
> .....
>
> (2) CLOTHING-SHOP
>
>   Great place to clothing shop for your kids.
> talk.ocalamom.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6641046686/m/1881016397
>
>   I haven't really clothing shopped for myself in almost a year.
> specktra.net/1222930-post82.html
>
> SHOE-SHOP
>
>   How to Shoe Shop With Your Wife. If you are a man and you've ever
> been "stuck" in shopping with your wife for shoes, ...
> www.ehow.com/how_2112588_shoe-shop-wife.html
>
>   I could have shoe shopped in NYC. harrumph.
> justagirlintheworld.com/the-stress-continues/
>
> FURNITURE-SHOP
>
>   It's fun to furniture shop. You can do it in person, or online.
> www.ehow.com/articles_2449-other-furniture.html
>
>   I furniture shopped everywhere, and a friend ended up telling me
> about this place.
> www.yelp.com/browse/reviews/recent?loc=Seattle%2C+WA&category=furniture
>
> COMPUTER-SHOP
>
>   What better place to computer shop than at Dell.com.
> blogs.smarter.com/gadgets/2008/06/02/computer-shopping-200-off-
> inspiron-desktops-over-749/
>
>   I've never really computer shopped before.
> https://www.beethoven.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2842
>
> TOOL-SHOP
>
>   How to Tool Shop on a Budget.
> www.ehow.com/how_2104035_tool-shop-budget.html
>
>   I tool shopped at HF they do have some good tools you just have to
> be selective ...
> www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/showthread.php?p=40274
>
> CAR-SHOP
>
>   Bizarro Brit -- Wears Wedding Dress to Car Shop!
> www.tmz.com/2008/01/13/bizarro-brit-wears-wedding-dress-to-car-shop/
>
>   The last time I car-shopped (shudder) I was amazed and discouraged
> by the ...
> mrmonkeysuit.typepad.com/mr_monkeysuit/2008/08/felt-peas-tutorial.html
>
> FOOD-SHOP
>
>   City Tells Its Firefighters Not to Food-Shop on Duty.
> query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?
> res=9905E1DC1731F936A25755C0A9679C8B63
>
>   Ask anyone who has food shopped lately, food prices are not going
> down.
> community.kget.com/blogs/kiyoshi_tomono/archive/2007/09/19/1983728.aspx
>
> GROCERY-SHOP
>
>   Learning to grocery shop wisely can save thousands of dollars over
> the years, and free up considerable money & time each month.
> www.bluntmoney.com/how-to-grocery-shop-wisely/
>
>   Among only those who grocery shopped, men spent 40 minutes and
> women ...
> www.ers.usda.gov/Data/ATUS/Current.htm
>
> VEGETABLE-SHOP
>
>   Plus I only have to vegetable shop every two weeks instead of twice
> a week.
> chowhound.chow.com/topics/479824
>
>   I stood with a longtime friend, Tom Richardson, who lives at Sky
> Valley, and asked him how often he vegetable shopped at Osage's.
> www.onlineathens.com/stories/091708/liv_333127372.shtml
>
> TOY-SHOP
>
>   They were happy the lower-than-normal gas prices, which are
> averaging about $1.96 in Central Ohio, have allowed them the luxury to
> toy shop.
> www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20081116/NEWS01/811160307
>
>   Toys have changed over the years and the assortment can be
> astounding, particularly to those who haven't toy-shopped in awhile.
> lakecharles.bbb.org/WWWRoot/SitePage.aspx?
> site=107&id=a9d5facf-8d95-4794-b575-d070a2704151&art=666
>
> MOMMY-SHOP [by adoptive children, searching for new mommies]
>
>   I can't help but think that if she felt more secure and was truly
> attached that she would not have the need to Mommy shop.
> adoptive-parenting.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/mommy-shopping
>
> .....
>
> (3) BABY-SHOP
>
>   but when i am up to it and i have the money i prefer to baby shop
> online and not ...
> community.babycenter.com/post/a1658875/do_you_like_shopping_for_
> baby_products
>
>   I havent baby shopped in a long time, and to do it for the church
> was even more gratifying.
> hopefulhousewife.com/
>
> KID-SHOP
>
>   I swore I wasn't going to kid shop on my night of freedom, but the
> 50-percent-off sale at Children's Place pulled me like the undertow in
> the ocean.
> bitchymommyblog.wordpress.com/tag/shopping/
>
>   then kid-shopped at Old Navy and got my niece's 20% discount ...
> thegrind.aimoo.com/TopicID-31545/ForumID-25603/Option-Next/
> GoToTopic.html
>
> FAMILY-SHOP
>
>   Pick up a few extra papers if family members are known to steal
> your ads (yes, it happens) or if you plan to family shop ...
> www.associatedcontent.com/article/1028986/successful_black_friday_shopping_starts.html
>
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>

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