[Ads-l] RES: New to me: "go pear-shaped" (UNCLASSIFIED)

Mullins, Bill CIV (US) william.d.mullins18.civ at MAIL.MIL
Mon May 9 18:48:17 UTC 2016


CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED

"Pear-shaped" is in the ADS-L archives as far back as 2002, having been discussed several times.

> 
> David Daniel wrote:
> > Brits and other non-US English speakers like to use "went pear-shaped."
> > Don't know that I've ever heard it in the US, though I have noticed
> > over the last ten-fifteen years or so that Britishisms have been
> > creeping into US-speak.
> 
> I'm pretty sure I first encountered it in the writings of the late Terry Pratchett. I've seen it used since in the SFnal community, AmE and BrE
> alike. Whether that was the vector into the wider community, I don't know.
> 
> Jim Parish
> 
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED

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