Maddened by Mad Men

Tue Sep 20 16:57:56 UTC 2011

Hmmm. When I was a kid in the 50's and 60's "hold down the fort" was common
enough. Or am I missing a point here?
DAD

Poster:       "Hunter, Lynne R CIV SPAWARSYSCEN-PACIFIC, 71700"
              <lynne.hunter at NAVY.MIL>
Subject:      Maddened by Mad Men
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Recent annoyance from _Mad Men_: "Miss Holloway can hold down the fort."
"Hold _down_ the fort" is irritating enough in the present day (at least
to my particular ear) without its being ascribed to 1962 speakers. (The
phrase conjures up a flighty outpost flimsily moored to some low-gravity
planet.)

Lynne Hunter

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org