Antedating of "break a leg" (1940)--correction, now 1925

[Sam Clements]

I think Doug Wilson's posts pretty well take it back as far as the turn of
the Century.  He's sneaky like that.  :)

Sam Clements


----- Original Message -----
From: "Victor" <aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 20:24
Subject: Re: Antedating of "break a leg" (1940)--correction, now 1925


> My German is virtually nonexistent, but I have it on good (native)
> authority that "Hals und Beine" is widespread, today even without the
> verb.
>
> I will break a rule and cite something without source because it may
> suggest where to look. When I first heard someone talk about the origin
> of the phrase s/he suggested that it went back to (at least) burlesque,
> which may well explain the German connection as well as push it at least
> into the early 1920s if not all the way back to the turn of the century.
>
> If I get a precise reference, I'll be happy to share it.
>
> Douglas G. Wilson wrote:
>> Here's a loathsome snippet, ostensibly from 1922:
>>
>> http://preview.tinyurl.com/cpwauf
>>
>> ...  "May you break your leg!"
>>
>> Here is the German "Brechen Sie Hals und Beine!" as a hunters'
>> salutation, in N&Q, 1906:
>>
>> http://preview.tinyurl.com/bpltu8
>>
>> Here is "brechen Sie ein Bein" in (I think) proper context, 1908:
>>
>> http://preview.tinyurl.com/azvkjq
>>
>> ... but my German may not be up to snuff, so please check that I'm not
>> misunderstanding something again!
>>
>> -- Doug Wilson
>>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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