[Ads-l] "big cheese" 1815

[Ben Zimmer]

Sorry, I think that was my bad transcription of the transcription. It is
indeed "reel" as Stanton McCandlish gave it in the original thread.

Transcript is here (on p. 15, 8.12.15 entry).

https://web.archive.org/web/20160820011359/https://jamesirvinerobertson.co.uk/DavidStewartofGarthCorrespondence.pdf

On Tue, May 30, 2023 at 11:08 AM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Maybe "I did a reel"?
>
> JL
>
> On Mon, May 29, 2023 at 10:55 PM Peter Reitan <pjreitan at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > 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
> >
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: "big cheese" 1815
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > 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
>
>

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