[Ads-l] Early (?) infixing

[Laurence Horn]

Nice to think that if Pulitzer's infixed "indegoddamnpendent" really does
take the antedate cake for in-print cites, it conforms to the
much-discussed stress pattern manifested by "absofuckinlutely" (cf.
McCarthy 1982 et al.). And perhaps the originator himself will henceforth
no longer be remembered in intro ling. classes only for his association
with "Pullet surprises" (cf. Fromkin & Rodman).

LH

On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 1:22 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Interesting topic, Ben.
> The Oxford English Dictionary has pertinent information within the
> entry about 'absolutely'.
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> absolutely, adv. and int.
> B. int. colloquial.
> 2. With an expletive infixed for humorous emphasis, as
> abso-blessed-lutely, abso-bloody-lutely, abso-blooming-lutely, etc.
> 1909   R. E. Beach Silver Horde xi. 147   'Did you rustle this money
> without any help?' he demanded. 'Abso-blooming-lutely!'
> 1912   A. M. N. Lyons Clara xxiv. 265   His Information was
> abso-blessed-lutely good and all the very latest; right Up-to-Date.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
> On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 10:54 AM Ben Yagoda <byagoda at udel.edu> wrote:
> >
> > From Walt McDougall, “Old Days on the World,” American Mercury, January
> 1925. McDougall, an illustrator, is writing about his time on The World in
> the 1880s and ‘90s.
> >
> >  “[Joseph] Pulitzer and [John A.] Cockerill were the most profane men I
> have ever encountered. I learned much from them, for their joint vocabulary
> was extensive and in some respects unique. When J. P. was dictating an
> editorial upon some pet topic, such as Collis P. Huntington's ill-gotten
> wealth, Jay Gould's infamous railroad wrecking or Cyrus Field's income, his
> speech was so interlarded with sulphurous and searing phrases that the
> whole staff shuddered. He was the first man I ever heard who split a word
> to insert an oath. He did it often, and his favorite was
> ‘indegoddamnpendent.’”
> >
> > Ben
> >
> > www.benyagoda.com
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

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