[Ads-l] Gathering egg corns while ye may...

[Laurence Horn]

I read today that

'The president’s son added in a statement that he did not know the identity of Veselnitskaya prior to the meeting and that he asked then-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and son-in-law Jared Kushner, now a senior White House adviser, to attend but “told them nothing of the substance” about the get-together.’

Was it a get-together at all, though?  Or a get-to-gather?

This one doesn’t seem to be in the database or our files, but there are over 100 actual g-hits for “a get-to-gather”, some but not all from various Asian Englishes.  Here’s one from a novel:

On the morning of the fourth day, the plantation owner intercepted Jim at the barn and requested a get-to-gather in the conference room.

https://books.google.com/books?id=Tm-C-5DNClIC&pg=PA32&lpg=PA32&dq=%22a+get-to-gather%22&source=bl&ots=n-97YYg7GB&sig=44UhgPSoWxYyPHPTqsSfs3i3BVg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwirr5zG7f3UAhUJLSYKHeJ5AToQ6AEITjAL#v=onepage&q=%22a%20get-to-gather%22&f=false

A couple more involving campsites:

Rental of the entire Great Lodge includes two (2) floors , (Smokey’s Den) and (The Great Hall/Mess Hall) and access to all of the necessities needed to host an event. An ideal place for children’s parties; families for a “get to gather”; meetings; organizations, or groups wishing to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere in truly rustic surroundings...
http://www.campdenison.com/Conservation/camp_use/Permits_Rules.html

Each room has its own unique theme and style that ranges from a basic room for two with a gas fireplace to a room that has a full kitchen if you feel like throwing a get-to-gather with some friends.
http://www.naturesinnatbigbearlake.com/

What’s puzzling to me is that the original compound is totally transparent—it’s called a get-together because it’s when you get together.  Why invent something *more* obscure, as if getting to gather makes more sense than getting together (either for U.S./U.K. speakers or Asian English speakers)?  

(I’m leaving aside the fact that for me at least “to gather” and “together” are not homophones, although I suppose a New Zealander saying the former may sound like a non-new-Zealander saying the latter.)

LH

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