[Ads-l] cosplay; meet-cute; my tiny violin (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Laurence Horn]

And it seems only fair that the first cite known to man (or to Barry Popik, which amounts to the same thing) should be due to Alan Campbell, the husband of quote magnet Dorothy Parker.  Don’t know if they met cute, but at least Campbell does count as a quote-magnet-in-law.

LH 

> On Feb 11, 2019, at 7:20 PM, Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> As noted on Barry Popik's site (I should've checked there first)...
> 
> https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/meet_cute/
> 
> On Mon, Feb 11, 2019 at 7:07 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> The phrase "meet cute" (with the appropriate sense) is used in the
>> title and the body of a 1937 short story published in "The New
>> Yorker".
>> 
>> Date: May 22, 1937
>> Periodical: The New Yorker
>> Short Story Title: They Meet Cute
>> Short Story Author: Alan Campbell
>> Start Page 37, Quote Page 37
>> Database: Page scans at archives.newyorker.com
>> 
>> [Begin excerpt]
>> The rest of the script is fine, boys,” said Mr. Trumpett. “You've got
>> nice situations and I like the way you've handled your story line and
>> I like your finish—we're going to have a nice little picture when we
>> get through with it—but frankly, I don't like your beginning. They
>> don't meet cute."
>> [End excerpt]
>> 
>> Garson
>> 
>> On Mon, Feb 11, 2019 at 6:24 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> OED has it from 1941.
>>> 
>>> to meet cute: (in filmmakers' jargon, of two characters) to have an
>>> accidental meeting which leads to or is followed by romantic involvement.
>>> 1941   A. Boucher Case of Solid Key iii. 49   Last night was nice, but
>> this
>>> is today. We met cute, as they say in story conferences; but people don't
>>> live cute.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Mon, Feb 11, 2019 at 6:18 PM MULLINS, WILLIAM D (Bill) CIV USARMY
>>> FUTURES COMMAND (USA) <0000099bab68be9a-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Meet Cute: Accidental/serendipitous introduction or meeting of two
>>>> people leading to a romantic or emotional connection.
>>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Older than I would have guessed.
>>>> 
>>>> _Modern Screen_ Feb 1946 p 87 col 1
>>>> "Producers pull it on writers.  'Howdoya get the girl and boy together?
>>>> They gotta meet cute --' "
>> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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