Donnybrook - a scene of uproar and disorder

Eoin C Bairéad ebairead at GMAIL.COM
Thu May 31 08:31:51 UTC 2012


Hi

I'm from Dublin - and I'm not 100% sure.

I think the 1848 example is more geographic than graphic, and it means "a
PLACE rather than a scene of uproar and disaster". So a baseball equivalent
would be "making <here insert insert your favourite local baseball ground>
into a Yankee Stadium" is NOT evidence that "Yankee Stadium" has become a
synonym for "any large baseball ground". But it might be the beginnings of
a trend...

Keep up the good work.

Eoin

I think the cite below may provide an example of Donnybrook as "a
> scene of uproar and disorder" in 1848.
>
> Cite: 1848 April, Tait's Edinburgh Magazine, The Wants of the Times,
> Start Page 215, Quote Page 215, Sutherland & Knox, Edinburgh.
>
> [Begin excerpt]
>  Fears were entertained that, on St Patrick's eve, Dame Street might be
> converted into a Donnybrook,
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
> --
-- 
Eoin C. Bairéad
Dublin, Ireland
Áth Cliath, Éire

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



More information about the Ads-l mailing list