fodder

[Ben Zimmer]

On Mon, May 23, 2011 at 7:09 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>
> On Sun, May 22, 2011 at 9:19 PM, Ben Zimmer wrote:
>
> > > On May 22, 2011, at 5:25 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> > > > http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/149845/20110522/camping-doomsday-rapture.htm
> > > > Indeed, discussions about May 21, 2011 being the "end of the world" were
> > > > met with worldwide fodder -- a bonanza for American late-night television
> > > > comedians.
> > >
> > I presume the (linguistic) point here is the rather bizarre use of
> > "fodder" to mean... I'm not sure, exactly. My best guess is that this
> > is the result of poor editing -- the "end of the world" discussions
> > could be fodder for the comedians (as well as a bonanza), but another
> > word is needed after "worldwide" -- "derision" or "mirth" or some
> > such.
>
> "Met with worldwide [X] fodder" doesn't make sense either.
>
> The prophecy itself was the "[X] fodder."

Yes, that's what I meant. A word other than "fodder" is needed after
"worldwide", while "fodder" only makes sense in the slot currently
held by "bonanza". Which suggests editorial sloppiness rather than
semantic shift.

--bgz

--
Ben Zimmer
http://benzimmer.com/

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