[Ads-l] Crash-blossom OTY

Tue Nov 17 19:06:26 UTC 2015

I hope you're sitting down.

Fox News Channel, a moment ago:

"PARIS ATTACKS INVESTIGATION."

JL

On Tue, Nov 17, 2015 at 1:20 PM, Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at yale.edu>
wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: Crash-blossom OTY
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> > On Nov 17, 2015, at 12:57 PM, Jonathan Lighter =
> <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >=20
> > "PARISIAN DEP MAYOR RE ATTACK VICTIMS" would apparently have been too
> > complicated, what with fewer letters and syllables.
> >=20
> > JL
>
> Or "RE ATTACKS VICTIMS", which would no doubt be read as accusing him of =
> traumatizing the victims again. =20
> >=20
> > On Tue, Nov 17, 2015 at 12:36 PM, Joel Berson <berson at att.net> wrote:
> >=20
> >> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >> -----------------------
> >> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >> Poster:       Joel Berson <berson at ATT.NET>
> >> Subject:      Re: Crash-blossom OTY
> >>=20
> >> =
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> -----
> >>=20
> >> Yes, but one (moi) would not say "victims of attack" in this case, =
> since
> >> th=3D
> >> ere were several.=3DC2=3DA0 Here we have not the ubiquitous "of" but =
> the
> >> disapp=3D
> >> earing "of".
> >>=20
> >> As for Jon's> Not perfect, but close enough for government work,
> >>=20
> >> Let's hope CNN does better next time.=3DC2=3DA0 That is, uses "for" =
> or "of"
> >> ins=3D
> >> tead of "on".=3DC2=3DA0 :-)
> >>=20
> >> Joel
> >>=20
> >>      From: Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> >> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU=3D20
> >> Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2015 11:42 AM
> >> Subject: Re: [ADS-L] Crash-blossom OTY
> >>  =3D20
> >> Yes, the "on" makes the unintended reading less likely, but the weird
> >> plura=3D
> >> l in the modifier within the compound--which seems to have become a
> >> standar=3D
> >> d option anymore--makes it more likely.=3DC2=3DA0 For me, it can only =
> be
> >> "Paris=3D
> >> attack victims", even given the multiplicity of attack sites--i.e. =
> the
> >> vic=3D
> >> tims of attacks are attack victims, not attacks victims.
> >>=20
> >> LH
> >>=20
> >>> On Nov 17, 2015, at 8:52 AM, Jonathan Lighter =
> <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> >> wr=3D
> >> ote:
> >>> =3D20
> >>> Not perfect, but close enough for government work.
> >>> =3D20
> >>> On the TV screen, with all caps,=3DC2=3DA0 the "on" was easily =
> misread (or,
> >> b=3D
> >> etter,
> >>> "automatically absorbed )" as "of."
> >>> =3D20
> >>> JL
> >>> =3D20
> >>> On Tue, Nov 17, 2015 at 8:46 AM, Joel Berson <berson at att.net> wrote:
> >>> =3D20
> >>>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >>>> -----------------------
> >>>> Sender:=3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 American Dialect Society =
> <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA
> >> =3D
> >> .EDU>
> >>>> Poster:=3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 Joel Berson =
> <berson at ATT.NET>
> >>>> Subject:=3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 Re: Crash-blossom OTY
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>>=20
> >> =
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------=3D=
>
> >> -------
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> Well, at least they got the preposition better than "for" or =
> "of".=3D3DC2=3D
> >> =3D3DA0
> >>>> Th=3D3D
> >>>> at is, I don't think there is a "deputy mayor on Paris", so that I =
> find
> >>>> the=3D3D
> >>>> headline a bit difficult to read as "the deputy mayor on Paris =
> attacks
> >>>> the=3D3D
> >>>> victims."
> >>>> Deputy mayor "for" or "of" Paris seems to crash more =
> loudly.=3D3DC2=3D3DA0
> >> A=3D
> >> nd
> >>>> "Dep=3D3D
> >>>> uty mayor for Paris attacks victims" crashes with a different =
> ambiguity
> >> =3D
> >> --
> >>>> =3D3D
> >>>> is the deputy major for (does he support) the Paris attack victims?
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> Joel
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 From: Jonathan Lighter =
> <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> >>>> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU=3D3D20
> >>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2015 7:40 AM
> >>>> Subject: [ADS-L] Crash-blossom OTY
> >>>> =3DC2=3DA0 =3D3D20
> >>>> CNN caption:
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> "DEPUTY MAYOR ON PARIS ATTACKS VICTIMS."
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> JL
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> --=3D3D20
> >>>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> >> trut=3D
> >> h."
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>> The American Dialect Society -
> >> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?=3D
> >>=20
> >> =
> u=3D3Dhttp-3A__www.americandialect.org
> &d=3D3DAwIBaQ&c=3D3D-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUc=
> V7Sdqw&=3D
> >>=20
> >> =
> r=3D3DwFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsSxPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=3D3Dyg_WIg8lYv5pVP-D83=
> fp0cY=3D
> >> =
>
> yzxkcnWyiIRXxLmX9PRs&s=3D3DqK-BtguRDY_dm7RW32eF8YO3ukh5GaLzQuNHhgJZ-sA&e=3D=
> 3D=3D
> >> =3D20
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>> The American Dialect Society -
> >> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?=3D
> >>=20
> >> =
> u=3D3Dhttp-3A__www.americandialect.org
> &d=3D3DAwIBaQ&c=3D3D-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUc=
> V7Sdqw&=3D
> >>=20
> >> =
> r=3D3DwFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsSxPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=3D3Dyg_WIg8lYv5pVP-D83=
> fp0cY=3D
> >> =
>
> yzxkcnWyiIRXxLmX9PRs&s=3D3DqK-BtguRDY_dm7RW32eF8YO3ukh5GaLzQuNHhgJZ-sA&e=3D=
> 3D=3D
> >> =3D20
> >>>> =3D20
> >>>> =3D20
> >>> =3D20
> >>> =3D20
> >>> --=3D20
> >>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> >> truth=3D
> >> ."
> >>> =3D20
> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>> The American Dialect Society -
> >> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=3D
> >>=20
> >> =
> =3D3Dhttp-3A__www.americandialect.org
> &d=3D3DAwIBaQ&c=3D3D-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV=
> 7Sdqw&r=3D
> >>=20
> >> =
> =3D3DwFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsSxPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=3D3Dyg_WIg8lYv5pVP-D83f=
> p0cYy=3D
> >> =
> zxkcnWyiIRXxLmX9PRs&s=3D3DqK-BtguRDY_dm7RW32eF8YO3ukh5GaLzQuNHhgJZ-sA&e=3D=
> 3D=3D20
> >>=20
> >>=20
> >>=20
> >> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >> The American Dialect Society - =
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=3Dhttp-3A__www.americandialect.=
> org&d=3DAwIBaQ&c=3D-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=3DwFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsS=
> xPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=3DoL8KhXfRPxBdOly-NbDVE5515UPOkBqU-mqzCJzuB2M&s=3DxFTKSe=
> NmKBwGMMdVQQLm9p7PGs4kNYXbAAe1sglbdM4&e=3D=20
> >>=20
> >>=20
> >> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >> The American Dialect Society - =
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=3Dhttp-3A__www.americandialect.=
> org&d=3DAwIBaQ&c=3D-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=3DwFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsS=
> xPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=3DoL8KhXfRPxBdOly-NbDVE5515UPOkBqU-mqzCJzuB2M&s=3DxFTKSe=
> NmKBwGMMdVQQLm9p7PGs4kNYXbAAe1sglbdM4&e=3D=20
> >>=20
> >>=20
> >=20
> >=20
> > --=20
> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the =
> truth."
> >=20
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - =
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=3Dhttp-3A__www.americandialect.=
> org&d=3DAwIBaQ&c=3D-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=3DwFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsS=
> xPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=3DoL8KhXfRPxBdOly-NbDVE5515UPOkBqU-mqzCJzuB2M&s=3DxFTKSe=
> NmKBwGMMdVQQLm9p7PGs4kNYXbAAe1sglbdM4&e=3D=20
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> 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."

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