End of ADS-L Digest - 28 Apr 1996 to 29 Apr 1996 ************************************************ There are 16 messages totalling 465 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. `scare-quotes' (2) 2. Florida l-lessness (2) 3. I wish I may, I wish I might (revisited) (2) 4. 86 (2) 5. usage newsletter 6. scare quotes (2) 7. help a reporter? (3) 8. Humanities Day May 2 in Washington DC 9. Numbers with meanings ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 06:12:04 -0400 From: "M. Lynne Murphy" <104LYN[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MUSE.ARTS.WITS.AC.ZA> Subject: `scare-quotes' below is a request i've had from a south african lexicographer on behalf of the OED. it seems they had not heard of "scare quotes" until they read a paper of mine. another case of me speaking american english without realizing it. does anyone have any citations or etymological info? it's not in _american heritage_ (the only u.s. dictionary i have at the office). any idea how old it is? i pointed out in my response to the below that i think "scare quotes" can also be used to refer to the gesture of miming double quotes with two fingers on each hand. respond to me or the list, and i'll summarize for penny & edmund. thanks, lynne murphy ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- From: "Penny Silva" Organization: Dictionary Unit for SA English To: "M. Lynne Murphy" <104LYN[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]muse.arts.wits.ac.za> Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 10:02:49 +200 Subject: `scare-quotes' Hi Lynne, We're having some correspondence with OED on this. Having pointed out your use of the word, we discover that it isn't reflected in their holdings at all! Do you know its etymology? age? Presumably it's only found in US Eng.? I heard Richard Bailey using it last year and wondered, at the time. Edmund Weiner would be delighted to get hold of some citations illustrating its use, if you come across any... Best wishes Penny Penny Silva - Director - Dictionary Unit for SA English - Rhodes University PO Box 94 - Grahamstown 6140 - South Africa. Tel. (0461) 31-8107. Fax No. (0461) 25642. E-mail: Penny[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]aardvark.ru.ac.za