"Better to have the camel on the inside ...", mutatis mutandis

[Jonathan Lighter]

No, we wouldn't. And remember when a "wise guy" was annoying but ordinarily
innocuous?  And applied equally to both sexes?

Now, if you don't say "wise-ass," the little **** don't know what the ****
you're talking about.

PS: Somebody mentioned the Food Network's new show called "Cook Your Ass
Off!" to leading CNN anchor Kate Bolduan (b. 1983) on air.  She said
offhandedly, "I *love* that title!"

Some may also recall Dr. Oz's recent daytime comment  about soaked nuts,
duly archived by ADS.

JL




On Sat, Dec 14, 2013 at 12:21 PM, Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: "Better to have the camel on the inside ...", mutatis
>               mutandis
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Joel says that the "friends"/"enemies" proverb is a "variation" of the
> "camel"/"tent" saying.  Well, maybe in the sense that the two sayings are
> similar in their import or application, are more-or-less synonymous.  But
> we wouldn't call the word "pig" a VARIATION of the word "hog"!
>
> --Charlie
>
> ________________________________________
>
> Sent: Friday, December 13, 2013 11:07 PM
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> In an article comparing the reactionary bishop of Providence, R.I.,
> to Pope Francis, Kevin Cullen concludes with:
>
> "Pope Francis seems like a genuinely decent guy. If he ever gets to
> Providence, I'd suggest he take seriously the advice the wise guys
> used to offer first-time visitors to Federal Hill: Keep your friends
> close and your enemies closer."
>
> A well-examined saying, but what struck me was that it is a variation
> of the camel saying.
>
> Joel
>
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