http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/30/new-frontiers-in-hypersensitvity-state-department-officer-says-holding-down-the-fort-is-racist/
"And in case you’re wondering how he could have done all the etymological detective work necessary to conclude that these phrases came from where he says they came from, and still have time to perform his Chief Diversity Officer duties at the State Department, wonder no more: Robinson doesn’t really know if any of this is true."
"Rule of Thumb", who knew?
914Driver wrote: "Rule of Thumb", who knew?
Obviously you have never watched Boondock Saints.
Jeez this guy doesn't need to give them ideas! I bet half the phrases we use are tangentially related to some backward practice in one way or another.
914Driver wrote: "Rule of Thumb", who knew?
It is all explained in the opening sequence of The Boondock Saints.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuJViUafKQo
EDIT: LOL, I guess I got beat to the "punch" while looking for video clips.
Rule of Wrist would be better
Idiot PC people said: And did you know using the phrase “holding down the fort” is the linguistic equivalent of scalping a Cherokee? According to Robinson, the phrase dates back to American soldiers on the western frontier who wanted to “hold down” all that land they stole.
Uh yeah because the first "forts" were in the American west. They never had forts earlier in history on other continents... Freaking PC bull E36 M3
All I have to say is:
You people hold down the fort for me.
Apparently, this guy doesn't know how to use Wikipedia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thumb
racerfink wrote: Apparently, this guy doesn't know how to use that dead space between his ears.
FTFY
I have decided I should never read comments on most any website because they all make me lose faith in humanity.
In reply to 93EXCivic:
Yeah, those seem to be even worse than most. Nothing like anonymity to bring out the worst in people.
Friend of mine swears this is true:
His wife works for Coca Cola. They have boxes for recycling paper. One box is for white paper. One box is for color paper. Someone complained, and the box that said "color paper" now says "paper of color."
poopshovel wrote: stuff
There was also some issue over the use of schit paper as derogatory but it was determined after some study that the users were all azzholes.
rebelgtp wrote: Uh yeah because the first "forts" were in the American west.
St. Augustine -- 1758. It's a fort.
I think someone needs to come to the realization that what a word means is entirely determined by what people THINK it means. I doesn't matter what it may have meant in the past. If no one considers that the meaning anymore, then it isn't.
I don't think there were too many Native Americans attacking Spain in the 14th century...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcazaba_of_Antequera
aircooled wrote: I think someone needs to come to the realization that what a word means is entirely determined by what people THINK it means. I doesn't matter what it may have meant in the past. If no one considers that the meaning anymore, then it isn't.
So, who determines what it should mean now, instead of what it's always meant in the past?
1623: Fort Orange
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Orange_(New_Netherland)
Clearly this man is niggardly of wit.
racerfink wrote: Apparently, this guy doesn't know how to use Wikipedia... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thumb
That makes sense, the sort of universal sign for "about" in Germany (analogous to wiggling your hand flat like a scale in America) is looking over your thumb. You're eyeballing it.
914Driver wrote:rebelgtp wrote: Uh yeah because the first "forts" were in the American west.St. Augustine -- 1758. It's a fort.
Charles Towne Landing (Charleston), the landing took place in April 1670. There was a fort there by wintertime of that year.
racerfink wrote: So, who determines what it should mean now, instead of what it's always meant in the past?
They just do a survey. Whatever ranks the highest is the first meaning shown in the dictionary.
There never really is a should mean, just what people believe it means. That is how languages evolve.
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