execution-style

[Laurence Horn]

On Nov 4, 2012, at 5:55 AM, Sarah wrote:

> Not to take away from fried chicken, but isn't "execution style" a rather particular term in that it has and can be applied to a person or persons murdered in a situation where there was no option to fight/escape, the death was quick and efficient (and the point), and the motivate was likely retribution/punishment/business?
>
> While there is the classic "on your knees, gun to back of the head" method, it does seem to be used in many variations where simply getting rid of that particular person or persons as quickly, efficiently, and neatly as possible is the method and goal. There is no rage, no torture, no ritual, no accidental "I didn't mean to", etc. It was a job. An execution (although yes, as JL pointed out, not a state-sanctioned one).
>
> S.

Another point that I don't think has been brought up (unless I missed it) is that when "execution-style" first came into vogue for those classic cases, it involved (I assume) a transfer of the methods of, as it were, state-executed execution to the gangland context, although presumably on-your-knees, gun-to-the-back-of-the-head wasn't employed as the standard method of administering capital punishment.  I think the resemblance noted in the other parts of Sarah's description is what prompted that transfer.  (Besides the factors mentioned above, there's the "he [at least usually he] had it coming", at least in the eyes of the execution-style executioner.

LH
>
> On 2012-11-03, at 8:40 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      Re: execution-style
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> I'm introducing "steak-fried chicken" right now.
>>
>> Throw in a little A-1 Sauce.
>>
>> Equivocal exx. back to 1759.
>>
>> JL
>>
>> On Sat, Nov 3, 2012 at 10:32 AM, W Brewer <brewerwa at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>> -----------------------
>>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>> Poster:       W Brewer <brewerwa at GMAIL.COM>
>>> Subject:      Re: execution-style
>>>
>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> LH: <<<raw  . . ."chicken-fried chicken>>>
>>> WB: Chicken sushi . . . mmh-mmh good.
>>>
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
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