On Sep 21, 2011, at 12:34 PM, Helen Huntley wrote: > It seems that misuse is the way common expressions get changed. > > For example, people began saying that some athlete got "untracked" to mean > that he started doing well, when they meant that he got back "on track." If > you think about it, untracked means you ran off the track.
I have seen "jury rigged" in publications from the New Yorker and A.P. News reports when "jerry rigged" was the proper term. I'm sure one can rig a jury - I'd bet Al Capone tried once or twice - but slapping mismatched parts together and finding a way to make them function is Jerry-rigged. It is a reference to the German soldiers; I suspect out of the Afrika Corps. When cut off for supplies, the resourceful Rommel would cannibalize one tank to repair another, etc. -Zeb -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
