get the snafu

Laurence Horn laurence.horn at YALE.EDU
Tue Apr 29 23:27:08 UTC 2014


On Apr 29, 2014, at 7:05 PM, Arnold Zwicky wrote:

> On Apr 29, 2014, at 3:28 PM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
>> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      get the snafu
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> A new one on me. And note primitive spelling:
>>
>> 1943 _Racine Journal-Times_ (Sept. 19) 4: "They probably got the snafoo
>> from a German patrol," said the driver. "These hills are full of Germans.
>> Particularly snipers."
>
> pretty clearly an ear spelling -- from someone who had heard the word but not seen it in print, and didn't know (orm appreciate) its derivation.
>
Situation Normal, All Fucked...Oops?  Situation Normal, All Fucked Over & Out?

LH

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