Comments on: Anachronism checks

By: Roberta Lipp

Roberta Lipp — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:40:13 +0000

Right. And going to Europe for school was a big deal.

Deborah Lipp — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:36:38 +0000

It’s vaguely possible, but she grew up in only one location as far as she’s every communicated.

Roberta Lipp — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:13:54 +0000

But was recon used metaphorically in the way she did? Like, from out of the military and into the living room?

It is possible that Betty is a military brat.

Deborah Lipp — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:49:41 +0000

My hero.

latenac — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:42:20 +0000

I wish I could edit. According to this

recon came into usage during WWI not even two.

Looking up intense it appears it’s been used that way since Hawthorne.

And regroup started in the early 1880’s.

latenac — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:30:59 +0000

Lots and lots of 40’s war movies would probably be the source. A lot of the military slang came into vogue with WWII.

Deborah Lipp — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:26:56 +0000

Thanks, latenac. I look forward to my son getting his degree in linguistics so I can have that sort of access on tap.

But the thing about “recon” is, Betty used it, not Don, so we’re looking for citations in ordinary life, not just among ex-military.

latenac — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:13:56 +0000

Recon and regroup are military type words which make sense for both Roger and Don.

Intense sounds like a Greenwich Village type thing from even before the 70’s. Makes sense for Midge to say.

But I can look all the words up later in my OED to find out when they started in use in these ways. I no longer have online access unfortunately.