[Ads-l] "big cheese" 1815

[Peter Reitan]

Has anyone seen a facsimile of the original?

What's the likelihood that it's "big Highland chief"?
________________________________
From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
Sent: Monday, May 29, 2023 2:00:17 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Re: "big cheese" 1815

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Subject:      Re: "big cheese" 1815
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Need I add that I'm skeptical of both the Scottish and Kiwi exx.?

Especially since "Big Highland Cheese" includes a very unusual tmesis,
which seems to suggest that "big cheese" was already lexicalized and
familiar.

Just my 2c.

JL

On Mon, May 29, 2023 at 3:51=E2=80=AFPM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmai=
l.com>
wrote:

> FWIW, big cheeses were sometimes a big deal.
>
> 1802 The Wasp (Hudson, N.Y.) (July 31) 2: The following Toast, drank [sic=
]
> by the Cheshire folks, who made the big Cheese [sic] for Mr.
> Jefferson....May the splendour of the Republican SUN continue to eclipse
> the twinklings of the Western Lightning Bug.
>
> 1828 Poulson's American Daily Advertiser (Phila.) (Nov. 14, 1828) 3: "A
> BIG CHEESE. The Berkshire American states that Mr. Israel Cole, of North
> Adams, has made a "hundred pound cheese to be presented to Jackson in cas=
e
> he was elected President."
>
> 1885 Buffalo [N.Y.] Evening News (Nov. 7) 4: "FREE SHOW!" The Two Big
> Cheese [sic] CITY OF BUFFALO, 3398 lbs.,  VILLAGE OF AURORA 3394 lbs., Ar=
e
> now on exhibition at our store.
>
> JL
>
> On Mon, May 29, 2023 at 2:14=E2=80=AFPM Steven Losie <stevenlosie at gmail.c=
om>
> wrote:
>
>> In case nobody has seen it, Green's Dictionary of Slang cites an 1885
>> newspaper article in New Zealand for "big cheese":
>>
>> [begin quote]
>> What attraction is there for Ken at the manager=E2=80=99s? Is it to see =
that big
>> cheese?
>> [end quote]
>> Source: Observer and Freelance (Wellington, NZ) 5 Sept. 1885 p.4/2
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth=
."
>


--=20
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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