do, v.i.

[Ronald Butters]

JL,

Did you mean to write, "Doh"?

RRB


On Jan 17, 2011, at 11:51 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

> On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 11:17 AM, Dave Wilton <dave at wilton.net> wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET>
>> Subject:      Re: do, v.i.
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Those who cannot do, teach.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
>> Of
>> Ronald Butters
>> Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 10:17 AM
>> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>> Subject: Re: do, v.i.
>>
>> Do unto others before they do unto you.
>>
>> Do as I might, I could not do enough.
>>
>> Still, I might have done.
>>
>> On Jan 17, 2011, at 9:00 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>>
>>> At the memorial service for Richard Holbrooke last week, Pres. Clinton
>>> observed that "I loved the guy because he could do - doing in diplomacy
>>> saves lives."  He added, "He could do and do."
>>>
>>> This reminds me of the Witch in Macbeth who says, "I'll do and I'll do
>> and
>>> I'll do."  But many things remind me of the Witches n Macbeth.
>>>
>>> The point is that that this usage, which Clinton may or may not have
>> picked
>>> up from the Witches, is something I can't recall ever hearing it in
>> natural,
>>> contemporary speech.  The OED entry on "do" is so daunting that I haven't
>>> checked adequately for its latest ex..The sense is sonething like "to
>> carry
>>> out one's intentions with effect; take effective action"
>>>
>>> JL
>>> --
>>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
>> truth."
>>>
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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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>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
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