"defecting"

[Alison Murie]

On Oct 20, 2009, at 2:29 PM, James A. Landau wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "James A. Landau <JJJRLandau at netscape.com>"
>              <JJJRLandau at NETSCAPE.COM>
> Subject:      "defecting"
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>
> I heard a woman, discussing a hippie she had known in the 1980's,
> refer to "defecting to Canada".
>
> I've never heard "defecting" in this context.  Also, considering
> that the man lived in Princeton NJ circa 1980, is it even correct?
>
Where were you during the VietNam war?  One might give  up on another
US cause (health care, anyone?) & defect to Canada even in the 80s.
AM

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