Maddened by Mad Men

[Ann Burlingham]

On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 6:36 PM, Hunter, Lynne R CIV
SPAWARSYSCEN-PACIFIC, 71700 <lynne.hunter at navy.mil> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Hunter, Lynne R CIV SPAWARSYSCEN-PACIFIC, 71700"
>              <lynne.hunter at NAVY.MIL>
> Subject:      Re: Maddened by Mad Men
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>
> My original objection--based on personal memory--was that I didn't think people were already using the expression "hold _down_ the fort" in 1962. (Ben Zimmer and others have corrected me on that.) My complaint had nothing to do with its being a cliché. I do admit to favoring "hold the fort" because it strikes me as more colorful and evocative (and often more applicable) than its bland variant.

I wish I'd battened down the hatches before reading this thread!

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