Saturday, May 28, 2005
Hub Blog concedes 'nor'easter' debate -- still insists 'Da Vinci Code' true: Awesome. Adam has pinpointed the probable first recorded use of 'nor'easter.' The evidence is overwhelming. I concede the point. ... But I won't concede that its widespread use -- especially in the media -- didn't occur until relatively recently. Note the line in Weatherwise: "Weatherwise ran a feature article on nor¹easters in the December 1993/January 1994 issue, which was entitled 'New Respect for Nor'easters.'" What does that mean, huh? Are they suggesting that's the first recorded use in the modern-media era?
Update -- I'm getting the shit beat out of me on this issue. From Reader No. 1:
"I have a hazy memory of the 'nor'easter' term from heavy snowstorms in the winter of 68-69... a stronger memory of it from the Blizzard of 78.
"The American Heritage Dictionary 2000 edition considers it a regular word, according to Dictionary.COM. Unfortunately, no word history here. Wikipedia has a useful short article but no idea here when it came into terminology. One might infer as early as 1888, but that would just be an inference... the fact that neither of us remember it growing up in these parts suggests it is a more recent term."
Does he remember it or not? The mystery deepens.
Update -- I'm getting the shit beat out of me on this issue. From Reader No. 1:
"I have a hazy memory of the 'nor'easter' term from heavy snowstorms in the winter of 68-69... a stronger memory of it from the Blizzard of 78.
"The American Heritage Dictionary 2000 edition considers it a regular word, according to Dictionary.COM. Unfortunately, no word history here. Wikipedia has a useful short article but no idea here when it came into terminology. One might infer as early as 1888, but that would just be an inference... the fact that neither of us remember it growing up in these parts suggests it is a more recent term."
Does he remember it or not? The mystery deepens.
