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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007Phrasedick
The coinage of "Phrasedick" appears to go back to Peter Tamony; see: http://www.umsystem.edu/whmc/invent/3939P.html Tamony, Peter (1902-1985), Collection, 1890-1985 (C3939) "...Phrasedick, See Dick..." William Safire has used it, in combination with "Brigade," in three different columns in the last six months; see: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28wwln.safire.t.html? ref=magazine [01/28/07/] The question the Phrasedick Brigade is asking: What inventive speechwriter, historian or pollster gave Nancy Pelosi that phrase, brilliantly boosting the hundred days to 100 hours? http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/03/news/edsafire.php Language: Moonbats, wingnuts William Safire The New York Times Published: September 3, 2006 "...From the foregoing, the casual reader might assume that we have the origin of the word moonbat. But not from the Websightful alone, or from the blogging community exclusively, comes the data-mining of the Phrasedick Brigade. .." http://pay.hindu.com/ebook%20-%20ebfl20061201part7.pdf [Safire again, an article dated 1 Dec 2006.] "...In an archaelogical dig for the coinage of _Islamofacism_, I offered a British usage in 1990 that has held up so far. But of greater import to the Phrasedick Brigade was a passing reference in my article about _cold war_ I happen to know that several etymologists have found gold in the archives of Peter Tamony, this from reading ADS-L postings. As Safire is a member of ADS, I postulate a theory that his recent penchant for "Phrasedick" is attributable to his digging in those archives - but I'm open to contrary opinions. Anyone want to differ? Aloha ~~~ Ozzie Maland ~~~ San Diego On Jan 28, 7:10 pm, "tinwhistler" <ozziemal...@post.harvard.edu> wrote: [snip] > William Safire has used it, in combination with "Brigade," in three > different columns in the last six months; see: [snip] FWIW, here's a 2003 posting at ADS-L by Fred Shapiro, in which he says he was called a "phrasedick" in Safire's column: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0312A&L=ADS- L&P=R4643&I=-3 On Jan 28, 8:37 pm, "tinwhistler" <ozziemal...@post.harvard.edu> wrote: > http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0312A&L=ADS- > L&P=R4643&I=-3 Here's a shorter, clickable link: http://tinyurl.com/2hbyb6 > "tinwhistler" <ozziemal...@post.harvard.edu> wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > http://tinyurl.com/2hbyb6 TinyURL says: "Error: Unable to find site's URL to redirect to." Try this one: http://tinyurl.com/3yvpum  SignatureFranke: EFL teacher & medical editor Native speaker of American English; posting from Taiwan. "It has come to my attention that my opinions are not universally shared." Scott Adams, The Dilbert Blog, 23 Jan 2007; http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/ teranews charges a one-time US$3.95 setup fee -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com On Jan 28, 8:40 pm, "tinwhistler" <ozziemal...@post.harvard.edu> wrote: >Here's a shorter, clickable link: [oops, no good] I'm trying again (this is new to me:) http://tinyurl.com/3yvpum > On Jan 28, 8:40 pm, "tinwhistler" <ozziemal...@post.harvard.edu> > wrote: [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > http://tinyurl.com/3yvpum Is the question, how old is "Phrasedick" meaning "etymologist"? I never heard it, but I can tell that the "dick" meaning "detective" or "police officer" goes back to at least 1900, according to RHHDAS, which adds that it probably comes from the Irish-English cant "dicked" meaning "being watched," such as by a constable or guard. SignatureBest -- Donna Richoux [snip] > Is the question, how old is "Phrasedick" meaning "etymologist"? I never > heard it, but I can tell that the "dick" meaning "detective" or "police > officer" goes back to at least 1900, according to RHHDAS, which adds > that it probably comes from the Irish-English cant "dicked" meaning > "being watched," such as by a constable or guard. [snip] I'm speculating on Safire's extensive use of a seldom-used word, "phrasedick." Thanks for the insight re the detective sense of "dick," which I think definitely has a big part in this. The Tamony posting I linked was just an index to an archive file - I'd really like some info on what there is in that file on the word "phrasedick" - but only a real-life etymologist would travel to find out the answer. Possibly these OED2 senses of "dick" have some bearing: Dick, n.1 ...clever Dick: a clever or smart person; usu. ironical: a 'know-all'; also attrib. 1895 J. T. Clegg Works I. 238 There's olez tuthri cliverdicks to smile At owt they thinken rayther eaut-o'th'-road. 1933 J. B. Priestley Wonder Hero vi. 222 One o' these clever Dicks from London bought it. 1957 J. Braine Room at Top xxiv. 197 'Clever Dick,' she said. 'Think yer knows everythink, doncha?' 1957 Observer 29 Sept. 12/5 He wrote an article for the Radio Times, accompanied by a picture of two actors with funny hats and cutlasses, to disarm all clever-dick criticism. 1969 I. & P. Opie Children's Games iv. 154 There is bound to be some clever-dick who has hidden in a coal-hole and refuses to show himself. dick, n.4 Abbreviation of dictionary; hence, 'Fine language, long words' (Slang Dict.). 1860 Haliburton (Sam Slick) Season Ticket xii. (Farmer), Ah, now you are talking 'Dic.', exclaimed Peabody, and I can't follow you. 1873 Slang Dict. s.v., A man who uses fine words without much judgment is said to have 'swallowed the dick'. Aloha ~~~ Ozzie Maland ~~~ San Diego > I'm speculating on Safire's extensive use of a seldom-used word, > "phrasedick." [...] After noting this thread and reading, quickly, a few of the posts therein, it has finally dawned on me that the word is "phrasedick," and not "phasedick" as I'd been thinking heretofore. That little 'r' makes a difference if one just notices it. <sigh> SignatureMaria http://www.familyhomefront.net/ AUE: http://www.familyhomefront.net/BirthdaysEtcAUE.html OR: http://tinyurl.com/j4j8n There's only one 'n' in my email address, and it's not in my first name. (The email address I use in this newsgroup is munged.) |
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