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And besides, if my next entry is going to be on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, this Sunday story won't fit. So there.
I was doing reference work at the library on Sunday, and one of the books I had to go through was the Dictionary of American English on Historical Principles. It "covers words and phrases which are clearly or apparently of American origin (blah, blah, blah) terminating at the end of the 19th century." As I was putting the book away, I had the brilliant idea to look up a word I had run across during my time archiving the Davidge papers. I knew it wasn't right, but couldn't pick out of the 19th century handwriting what it was. My best guess was...
"Peter-fucking"
And really, I knew that that couldn't be it. Or at least I was quite sure they didn't. It was found in a letter from a Tisdal and Bordeau to Walter Davidge (I believe) on March 21, 1848. It was something like "'Peter-fucking', or to run it up or cause it to be run up to a pretty high mark." Yeah, that was the definition T&B gave of the word. A later letter, dated April 25, 1848, continues the discussion of the the man doing the "running up" with, "We almost think however, judging from his previous success in hocus pocus work that Mr. Rynmy will manage to stave off a sale." Go him, the little "peter-fucker".
So, I was always curious as to what is the actual word. And now I know. They had the definition pretty much spot on to what was in the dictionary. Ok, so maybe not quite the same, but still. But, the word is...
"Peter-funking"
Such a difference one small letter makes! I think that AS should put "What does the term 'Peter-funking' mean?" on his list of reference questions.
And according to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable "Gretchen" (or "Maggie") is a stock name for any German girl. Doesn't that make you feel special,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
decken?
I was doing reference work at the library on Sunday, and one of the books I had to go through was the Dictionary of American English on Historical Principles. It "covers words and phrases which are clearly or apparently of American origin (blah, blah, blah) terminating at the end of the 19th century." As I was putting the book away, I had the brilliant idea to look up a word I had run across during my time archiving the Davidge papers. I knew it wasn't right, but couldn't pick out of the 19th century handwriting what it was. My best guess was...
"Peter-fucking"
And really, I knew that that couldn't be it. Or at least I was quite sure they didn't. It was found in a letter from a Tisdal and Bordeau to Walter Davidge (I believe) on March 21, 1848. It was something like "'Peter-fucking', or to run it up or cause it to be run up to a pretty high mark." Yeah, that was the definition T&B gave of the word. A later letter, dated April 25, 1848, continues the discussion of the the man doing the "running up" with, "We almost think however, judging from his previous success in hocus pocus work that Mr. Rynmy will manage to stave off a sale." Go him, the little "peter-fucker".
So, I was always curious as to what is the actual word. And now I know. They had the definition pretty much spot on to what was in the dictionary. Ok, so maybe not quite the same, but still. But, the word is...
"Peter-funking"
Such a difference one small letter makes! I think that AS should put "What does the term 'Peter-funking' mean?" on his list of reference questions.
And according to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable "Gretchen" (or "Maggie") is a stock name for any German girl. Doesn't that make you feel special,
decken?
