[Ads-l] Snasu (variant), was Re: Antedating of "Snafu" by Barry Popik

Tue Nov 24 23:33:19 UTC 2020

JL's message of 5:20 included a link to a list of strange scientific
species names, including:
*Myzocallis kahawaluokalani* Kirkaldy, 1907 (an aphid; in Hawaiian, the
name supposedly means "you fish on your side of the lagoon and I'll fish on
the other, and no one will fish in the middle")

I have seen that derivation offered for the name of Lake Memphremagog in
northern Vermont.  Wikipedia explains the name thus:
Memphremagog was also pronounced as "Mamphremagog". This came from the
Abenakis' <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abenaki_people> *Mamlawbagak* which
signifies "a long and large sheet of water". The prefix *mamlaw* denotes
largeness or abundance; the particule *baga* denotes water; and "k" marks
the name as given in local term.

I have no idea where I saw this.

GAT

On Tue, Nov 24, 2020 at 5:20 PM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Perhaps of interest, from 2006. Check the archives for some context:
>
>
> > "CYA" and "FTA" are not only genuine, they're very well documented.
> Also familiar to HDAS are BOHICA, BUFF, (FT) EUSTIS, DILLIGAF, FIDO, FIGMO,
> FNG, FUBAR, HMFIC, I&I, MRE, OMGIF, PFC, SNAFU, SWAG, TARFU, USMC ("Uncle
> Sam's Misguided Children"). Some of these go back to WWII.
>
> >Still others that come to mind are DILLIGAS ("...a shit"), WTF?, USMC
> ("Uncle Sam's Moldy Crotch"), FUJIGMO ("Fuck you, Jack, I Got My Orders"),
> FUBIS ("...Buddy, I'm Shipping"), TARFUBAR, SUSFU ("Situation Unchanged,
> Still...").
>
> >There's a chigger whose scientific monicker is _Tribicula fujigmo_.  For
> details, as well as other bizarre Linnaean names (including the fly
> _Phthiria relativitae_), see [
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.faculty.ucr.edu_-7Eheraty_menke.html&d=DwIFaQ&c=slrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ&r=v2Wtu7DQZxSBMSJv-oEMNg&m=OdadWhMvHQPYUJNwmzLJiMyK0fUAxFjkgRQa0m96Elc&s=STMhEdXZdEWWmsDUhg8GMAjw5b1uX3K9lm8tRfumRm4&e=
> ].<
>
> I omitted "DILLIGAF."
>
> American Notes & Queries also has a "SNAFU" from 1941.
>
>
>
> JL
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 24, 2020 at 4:57 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <
> adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Thanks Stephen. I agree that the "snasu" variant is interesting. Many
> > thanks, Ben, for locating my message about "snasu" from the
> > antediluvian age.
> >
> > I just located an interesting instance of "S N A F U" in March 1940.
> > Unfortunately, this "S N A F U" might be illusory. See the following
> > description.
> >
> > Date: March 12, 1940
> > Newspaper: Detroit Evening Times
> > Newspaper Location: Detroit, Michigan
> > Section: Detroit Times Daily Magazine Page
> > Article: Wishing Well (puzzle)
> > Quote Page 12, Column 5
> > Database: Newspapers.com
> > Database: British Newspaper Archive
> > Database: GenealogyBank
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > WISHING WELL
> >
> > 4 3 6 5 8 2 4 6 7 3 5 8 4
> > B A S N A F U U R C E C Y
> >
> > 2 6 7 3 8 4 6 5 8 7 2 4 6
> > L C E O T T C W O U A H E
> >
> > 4 3 6 5 7 8 4 2 6 8 3 5 6
> > E M S I N N U T S I P N I
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Above are the top six rows from a puzzle with 14 rows. The puzzle
> > contains the following contiguous sequence of five letters "S N A F
> > U". The puzzle also contains the following sequence "N U T S".
> >
> > It is possible that a mischievous puzzle constructor deliberately
> > inserted "S N A F U" and "N U T S". However, the solution to the
> > puzzle is unrelated to these sequences, so I guess we have to assume
> > that these sequences were simply coincidental.
> >
> > I also came across another variant acronym "Susfu" with a June 1942
> > citation. The meaning is not explained in this citation, but I found
> > another instance that decoded the first two letters as "Situation
> > unchanged"; hence, "Situation unchanged still fouled up".
> >
> > Date: June 25, 1942
> > Newspaper: The Jersey Journal
> > Newspaper Location: Jersey City, New Jersey
> > Article: Signal Corps Work Vital in Modern War
> > Author: Martin Gately (Staff Reporter)
> > Quote Page 2, Column 5
> > Database: Newspapers.com
> > Database: GenealogyBank
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > The newsmen, accompanied by officers, were taken through the Signal
> > Corps Technical Schools, where, among other things, they were
> > initiated into the meaning of such phrases as "Snafu" and "Susfu."
> > Among the schools visited was the code building where the men who
> > tapped out the last messages from Bataan were taught.
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Garson
> >
> > On Tue, Nov 24, 2020 at 12:46 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Back in 2009, Garson O'Toole found the "snasu" variant in Time
> magazine,
> > > Aug. 18, 1941.
> > >
> > > ---
> > >
> >
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__listserv.linguistlist.org_pipermail_ads-2Dl_2009-2DDecember_094658.html&d=DwIFaQ&c=slrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ&r=v2Wtu7DQZxSBMSJv-oEMNg&m=OdadWhMvHQPYUJNwmzLJiMyK0fUAxFjkgRQa0m96Elc&s=YpTLhKfZXByzYScf_kreanYNCN1Qpt7SrRlcKwlsY9E&e=
> > > Citation: 1941 Aug. 18, National Defense: Problem of Morale, Time
> > magazine.
> > > Another outfit used another word as response to almost any question:
> > Snasu
> > > ("Situation normal: all screwed up"). For the low state of Army morale
> > was
> > > merely brought into the open by the draft-extension bill.
> > >
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.time.com_time_magazine_article_0-2C9171-2C802126-2C00.html&d=DwIFaQ&c=slrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ&r=v2Wtu7DQZxSBMSJv-oEMNg&m=OdadWhMvHQPYUJNwmzLJiMyK0fUAxFjkgRQa0m96Elc&s=CF_5pYqw85klgUwi83ERWeP3uMlSzyE5dswjK9Q9Las&e=
> > > ---
> > >
> > > As for the 1941 Google Books hit for "snafu," I assume that's the
> > > appearance in the Sept. '41 issue of American Notes and Queries, as
> given
> > > in OED2.
> > >
> > > --bgz
> > >
> > >
> > > On Tue, Nov 24, 2020 at 5:34 AM Stephen Goranson <goranson at duke.edu>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > > Oct. 26 , 1941, Charlotte Observer [NC; AmHistN; "...Army Lingo..."]
> > 48/4
> > > > Snasu: an expression of disgust when things go wrong. Literally
> > "Situation
> > > > normal, all screwed up."
> > > >
> > > > [GB gives snafu also as 1941, but not confirmed.]
> > > >
> > > > Stephen Goranson
> > > >
> > > > ________________________________
> > > > From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of
> > > > Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> > > > Sent: Monday, November 23, 2020 11:07 AM
> > > > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > > Subject: Antedating of "Snafu" by Barry Popik
> > > >
> > > > I cannot overstate the riches that are contained in Barry Popik's
> > > > wonderful website barrypopik.com.  Here is an antedating he has for
> > > > "snafu."  This is a slight antedating in terms of chronology, but I
> > think
> > > > it is worth highlighting because "snafu" is such an important term.
> > > >
> > > > snafu (OED 1941 [Sept.])
> > > >
> > > > 5 June 1941, Daily Times (Chicago, IL), pg. 10, col. 2:
> > > > Army’s all snafu
> > > > Snakes, bugs halt ‘battle march
> > > > By KEITH WHEELER
> > > > (TIMES Staff Correspondent)
> > > > Bell Buckle, Tenn., June 5.—“Everything, said 1st. Lieut. Robert G.
> > > > Anderson, executive officer of company G. 2d battalion, (New York)
> > > > infantry, 27th division “is turning out snafu.”
> > > > (...)
> > > > What,” The Times asked, “does snafu means?”
> > > >
> > > > Fred Shapiro
> > > >
> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > > The American Dialect Society -
> > > >
> >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.americandialect.org__;!!OToaGQ!-feEW1lf938FnmHL-YGr2C-YgVUo-6Ka9zOlOKET8UlGkInnBpD7aDqL9AQlTDWO$
> > > >
> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------
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> > > >
> > >
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> >
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
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>

-- 
George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern
Univ. Pr., 1998.

But when aroused at the Trump of Doom / Ye shall start, bold kings, from
your lowly tomb. . .
L. H. Sigourney, "Burial of Mazeen", Poems.  Boston, 1827, p. 112

The Trump of Doom -- also known as The Dunghill Toadstool.  (Here's a
picture of his great-grandfather.)
http://www.parliament.uk/worksofart/artwork/james-gillray/an-excrescence---a-fungus-alias-a-toadstool-upon-a-dunghill/3851

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