[Ads-l] new alligator proverb

[Dan Goncharoff]

In Vietnam, could that have referred to actual alligators? (Or crocodiles?)

On Sat, Jul 8, 2023, 10:10 AM Jesse Sheidlower <jester at panix.com> wrote:

> There's an entry for this in HDAS, with a first example from 1964, in a
> military (not specifically Navy) context in Vietnam.
>
> On Sat, Jul 08, 2023 at 02:02:23PM +0000, Peter Reitan wrote:
> > When I was in the Navy, it was frequently said during stressful or
> complicated, difficult situations, that we were "up to our asses in
> alligators."
> > ________________________________
> > From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of
> Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 5, 2023 5:18:40 AM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Subject: new alligator proverb
> >
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      new alligator proverb
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > CNN This morning:
> >
> > "There's a saying in the military: 'You focus on the closest alligator to
> > the boat.'"
> >
> > JL
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> truth."
> >
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>
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