choppergate

[Joel S. Berson]

At 8/29/2011 07:57 AM, victor steinbok wrote:
>Add another -gate to the list, although this one is fairly minor:
>
>...
>
>Here's a companion story:
>
>http://goo.gl/tHsbW
>
> > Choppergate scandal began with quiet backyard barbecue
>
>
>
>  There are some lines in both stories that might be of interest--at least,
>they sounded odd enough to me to deserve a mention. I'm certainly not up on
>my Strine. (Second article first.)
>
>1. Scandal spotted from a BBQ:
>
>"Choppergate" scandal spotted from BBQ
>
>
>Although it's rather clear what this subhed means, the implication is a bit
>weird, as it was not the scandal per se that was "spotted", but the Channel
>9 subterfuge that ultimately caused the scandal--and, even then, it's a bit
>more complicated. Apparently, a reporter for a rival station spotted the
>Channel 9 helicopter in one location when it was being reported as being
>somewhere else.

"from" = "by, via" here.  "From" sense 14.a = Denoting ground,
reason, cause, or motive: Because of, on account of, owing to, as a
result of, through. Now replaced in some uses by for.


>I also believe it has already been mentioned that this sense of BBQ or
>barbecue is not covered in the OED. The closest is 4.a., but I'm at a loss
>why a "backyard barbecue" has to be a "large social entertainment".
>
>4. a. A large social entertainment, usually in the open air, at which
> > animals are roasted whole, and other provisions liberally supplied. Also
> > attrib. orig. U.S.
>
>
>Shouldn't there be an entry for small, private domestic pastime? (BBQ
>redirects to barbecue n. 4.)

Have you ever tried to keep neighbors and passers-by out of your
small, private, domestic pastime?  See "Monty" panels from about 2
weeks ago.)  :-)

Joel

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