tout = "to boast (about)"

[Jonathan Lighter]

If you examine the exx. closely, I believe you'll find that NPR's usage is
different.

The dictionary exx. are strictly compatible with "to promote or recommend."

The 1978 ex. indeed is moving in the present direction and may well be
considered an early example.  If I tout Jerry Augustine _as_ the ace of my
staff, I'm  boasting of him while also promoting him (to the public).

Sen. Specter, however, is said  to _be able_ to "tout" the endorsements. But
he cannot reasonably _promote_ or _recommend_ them to the public. All he
_can_ do, realistically, is boast about having them.

JL


On Sat, Sep 5, 2009 at 9:42 AM, Herb Stahlke <hfwstahlke at gmail.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Herb Stahlke <hfwstahlke at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: tout = "to boast (about)"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Merriam-Webster on line gives as the fourth meaning of "tout"
>
>  to make much of : promote, talk up <touted as the summer's
> blockbuster movie> <the college's much touted women's studies program>
>
> OED has
>
>  b. trans.    (a) To importune (a person) in a touting manner;    (b)
> to solicit custom for (a thing), to try to sell; also (U.S.) in
> extended sense, to recommend.
>
> with the example
>
> 1978 Detroit Free Press 2 Apr. 6E/1 Any team that touts Jerry
> Augustine as the ace of its staff is in serious trouble.
>
> Herb
>
> On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 9:27 PM, Jonathan Lighter<wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      tout = "to boast (about)"
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > NPR  this evening:
> >
> > "Although Specter has been in the Senate since 1981 and can tout the
> > endorsement of Obama and Gov. Ed Rendell, nearly half of Democrats are
> > unconvinced."
> >
> > Proof?:
> >
> http://www.scpr.org/news/2009/09/03/specter-rivals-vie-unseat-veteran-senator/
> >
> > The Googlits go back at least to 2007.
> >
> > JL
> >
> > --
> > "There You Go Again...Using Reason on the Planet of the Duck-Billed
> > Platypus"
> >
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> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



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