Maddened by Mad Men

[Jonathan Lighter]

It's just scuttlebutt.

JL

On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 6:47 PM, Ann Burlingham <ann at burlinghambooks.com>wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Ann Burlingham <ann at BURLINGHAMBOOKS.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Maddened by Mad Men
>
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>
> 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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