"hot corn"

[Jonathan Lighter]

Cf. "hot stuff" in HDAS.

  JL

George Thompson <george.thompson at NYU.EDU> wrote:
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Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: George Thompson
Subject: Re: "hot corn"
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Joel Berson suggests;
Was "corn" ever used to describe a size of gun-shot? What was used
in dueling pistols? In 18th century newspapers, hail was compared in
size to marbles, or the eggs of various birds. There is also
"grapeshot", and I imagine other terms describing size in terms of
common objects.

This is very likely; though perhaps the key word is "hot" -- the wish is, that both will get something hot.

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joel S. Berson"
Date: Thursday, January 3, 2008 3:22 pm
Subject: Re: "hot corn"
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU


> At 1/2/2008 09:37 PM, George Thompson wrote:
> >Not in HDAS, and not perfectly clear why it should mean what it seems
> to mean:
> >
> > Some were so uncharitable as to say "I hope in God both may
> > get their hot corn."
> > New York Herald, August 28, 1841, p. 2, col. 1 [referring
> > to a duel between August Belmont and a gentleman from South Carolina]
> >
> >Hot corn was sold from buckets on the streets, then, and was
> >regarded as a summertime treat, at least for the lower orders.
>
> I assume it means "get their just deserves" :-)
>
> Was "corn" ever used to describe a size of gun-shot? What was used
> in dueling pistols? In 18th century newspapers, hail was compared in
> size to marbles, or the eggs of various birds. There is also
> "grapeshot", and I imagine other terms describing size in terms of
> common objects.
>
> Joel
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.orgWas "corn" ever used to describe a size of gun-shot? What was used
in dueling pistols? In 18th century newspapers, hail was compared in
size to marbles, or the eggs of various birds. There is also
"grapeshot", and I imagine other terms describing size in terms of
common objects.

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



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