[Ads-l] organically

[Ben Zimmer]

"To social-distance" is a certainly an innovative backformation, albeit a
predictable one given our current situation. Add it to Arnold Zwicky's list
of two-part back-formed (2-p b-f) verbs:

https://arnoldzwicky.org/2009/06/13/postings-on-2-p-b-f-verbs/

There's nothing innovative about "organically," however. OED3 has examples
of the relevant sense (5b: "in the course of natural development or
change") back to 1951, and the related sense of "organic" (6e:
"characterized by continuous or natural development") goes back to 1923.

--bgz

On Sat, Mar 14, 2020 at 9:16 AM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Michael Smerconish, top pundit:
>
> "A time to slow down, social-distance, and get a hold of the situation.
> That's what the nation seems to be doing, albeit organically and ad hoc -
> not with any Federal admonition."
>
> Note also  "to social-distance."  Moreover, we shouldn't "allow our fears
> to self-actualize."
>
>

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