[Ads-l] Snowclone: Can a (derog) X get a Y?

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

I also started to look at "Can a man get a drink around here?" and
"Where can a man get a drink?" But I could not really see clear
demarcations between the members in this large class of queries.

Year: 1914
Title: Life, Letters and Addresses of John Craig Havemeyer
Author: John Craig Havemeyer
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company, New York
Quote Page 324

https://books.google.com/books?id=uewEAAAAMAAJ&q=%22get+a+drink%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
Mr. Havemeyer -- If the law prohibits the manufacture and sale of
intoxicating liquors, where can a man get a drink?

"Mr. Wheeler -- In Maine, the farmer can make and drink cider. Private
distilleries may be worked and domestic wines may be made.
[End excerpt]

Garson


On Sat, Apr 18, 2015 at 1:02 PM, Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Snowclone: Can a (derog) X get a Y?
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I feel like the canonical example is a guy trying to get the attention
> of a bartender or other drink-server. From Google Books:
>
> "'Can a guy get a drink around here?' he said, turning and motioning
> to the waiter."
> William Heffernan, _Caging the Raven_ (1981)
>
> "Can a guy get a Scotch on the rocks around here, or do I have to
> choose between beer, beer, and beer?"
> Eugenia Riley, _Where the Heart Is_ (1987)
>
>
> On Sat, Apr 18, 2015 at 10:01 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>>
>> I've heard the innocuous "Can [or "Can't"] a guy get an X around here?"
>>
>> Can't say just when. '80s?
>>
>> On Sat, Apr 18, 2015 at 2:26 AM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> My apologies. Obviously "Jew" is not derogatory.
>>>
>>> Looking for "Arab," I found two hits for the same quote by mprs: can an
>>> arab get a ban over here?
>>> 2002: http://bit.ly/1b6GIT4
>>> 2006: http://bit.ly/1aFnV0I
>>>
>>>
>>> > Benjamin Barrett <mailto:gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
>>> > April 18, 2015 at 12:02 AM
>>> >
>>> > Today, a Jewish friend said to his wife while holding their infant, "Can
>>> > a Jew get a bib?"
>>> >
>>> > According to http://snltranscripts.jt.org/96/96edefjam.phtml, Chris Rock
>>> > said on Saturday Night Live in 1996, "Scalpel! Scalpel! [ yelling ] Can
>>> > a nigger get a SCALPEL up in this [ bleep ]!! [ the wrong instrument is
>>> > handed to him ] I said SCALPEL, you [ bleep ] [ bleep ] [ bleep ]"
>>> >
>>> > In 1999 (http://bit.ly/1EV1eSQ,
>>> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigger_%26_Blacker), Chris Rock's "Bigger
>>> > and Blacker" evidently has a song "Can a Nigger Get a Tabledance" (which
>>> > is unfortunately also the name of a song by what looks to be a racist
>>> > named Johnny Rebel). See also http://bit.ly/1b6CmeW for "Can a nigger
>>> > get a table dance or there is no sex in the champagne room" by shadowcat.
>>> >
>>> > There are not a lot of hits for this snowclone, but there are a few out
>>> > there. Here is what I found:
>>> >
>>> > 24 December 2009: http://bit.ly/1DtOujJ
>>> > moneymcbags writes: 12/24/09 Mid-Morning Report: It's Christmas Eve, can
>>> > a jew get a table dance?
>>> >
>>> > No earlier than 2009: http://bit.ly/1CXeCB5
>>> > Matthew "Baller on a Budget" R. writes: "Can a Jew get a ham sandwich up
>>> > in this?"
>>> > Extra snowclone points for "up in this."
>>> >
>>> > 2010: http://bit.ly/1O1J1cf
>>> > SlickMoneyXL writes: Can a spic get a link please?
>>> >
>>> > 2011: http://bit.ly/1ORO6kl
>>> > jesus1 writes: Just like Cinco de Mayo...can a spic get a break?
>>> >
>>> > Late 2014/early 2015: http://bit.ly/1b6AhQ1
>>> > hosaycore writes: Can a spic get a care package?
>>> >
>>> > 02/01/2015: http://bit.ly/1OplBZc
>>> > skellettes writes: can a homo get a promo on their birthday?
>
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