HDAS and -boo

[Ronald Butters]

Thanks, Robin. I also regularly consult Green's work, which is newer and terrific, but shorter.

As I understand it, JL is blameless with respect to (1) the absence of a final volume and (2) the absence of a second edition. I do not understand why the funding cannot be found somewhere to underwrite both projects. And of course an online edition of anything will get people to use it, unless the subscription fee is too high.

I'm glad to know that anyone who wants one can afford 1&2.

On Dec 12, 2010, at 11:07 AM, Robin Hamilton wrote:

> I'd agree with Ron's first statement, that HDAS is the best thing around
> (with the proviso that I still haven't seen a copy of Jonathan Green's
> forthcoming work) but quarrel with the second.  Copies of Volume 1 are quite
> obscenely cheap if bought secondhand from abebooks, for instance (I
> currently have two), and even Volume 2 is remarkably affordable.  Mine cost
> me, I think, $20, in virtually mint condition with the original wrapper.
>
> As to being dated -- well, any print dictionary in this area is dated from
> the moment the proofs are sent to the printer -- this simply comes with the
> territory.  Farmer and Henley is dated, but I still find myself referring to
> their work fairly regularly.
>
> Having said which, and guiltily responding to Jon's earlier comment that no
> one reads HDAS, I will now go fill a glaring intellectual lacuna, and read
> thoroughly the Introduction to Volume 1, which I should have done long ago.
>
> Robin
> ________________________________
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <ronbutters at AOL.COM>
> To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2010 8:49 AM
> Subject: HSAS and -boo
>
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail
>> header -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       ronbutters at AOL.COM
>> Subject:      HSAS and -boo
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> HDAS is the best thing around. I always check it when I am in my home
>> office. It is also expensive and unfinished and not online (and
>> increasingly dated).
>>
>> Isn't -boo/poo a diminutive suffix that can be applied to any noun?
>> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>>
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