[Ads-l] Query from CNN: "An empty barrel makes the most sound."

[Charles C Doyle]

The proverb dictionaries trace this saying back to the fifteenth century, in the form "A void vessel . . . ."


--Charlie

________________________________
From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Cohen, Gerald Leonard <gcohen at MST.EDU>
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2017 11:09:29 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Query from CNN: "An empty barrel makes the most sound."

Dear members of ads-l,


Below my signoff is a request for assistance from CNN editor Chris

Cillizza about "An empty barrel makes the most sound."  Can anyone

provide him with any information?  Garson?


Gerald Cohen

cc. Barry Popik (with the extraordinary website barrypopik.com)




________________________________
From: Cillizza, Chris <Chris.Cillizza at cnn.com>
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2017 8:21 AM
To: Cohen, Gerald Leonard
Subject: Help!


Professor Cohen,



I am trying to nail down the origins – and usages – of the phrase “an empty barrel makes the most sound.”



Trump chief of staff John Kelly used the phrase to describe Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson on Thursday. On Friday, Congresswoman Wilson said the term was “racist.”



I’m trying to navigate through the politics of all that to figure out how the phrase entered the language and what it might mean.



Any guidance is much appreciated.

Chris



--

Chris Cillizza

The Point

CNN, Editor-at-large

@cillizzacnn

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