At first it seemed ok to me, too, K, but it doesn't factor in older phrases
I'd remembered from previous research that use "buy" to mean death. Here's
a URL that seems more credible:
http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/site/comments/buy_the_farm/
Judy
----- Original Message -----
From: "kasper salonen" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 5:35 AM
Subject: Re: untranslateable phrases
> Judy thanks, the farm's been haunting me
>
> KS
>
> On 14/01/2008, judy prince <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> Might be of further interest, Mark:
>>
>> In 1956 from HEFLIN author _USAF Dictionary_, p 198:
>>
>> " 'Buy a farm' - to crash . . . This expression is in allusion to the
>> notion
>> that the owner of a farm takes advantage of a crash on his land to
>> collect
>> heavy damages."
>>
>> In 1955, _AS_ XXX, p 116:
>>
>> "'Buy the farm, buy a plot' Crash fatally. (Jet pilots say that when a
>> jet
>> crashes on a farm the farmer usually sues the government for damages done
>> to
>> his farm by the crash, and the amount demanded is always more than enough
>> to
>> pay off the mortgage and then buy the farm outright. Since this type of
>> crash {i.e., in a jet fighter} is nearly always fatal to the pilot, the
>> pilot pays for the farm with his life.)"'
>>
>> Judy
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Mark Weiss" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 7:07 PM
>> Subject: untranslateable phrases
>>
>>
>> > Or, j'en ai marre, j'en ai ras-le-bol (or just ras).
>> >
>> > But it was a serious question about the history of what I assume are
>> > Americanisms. Really. Robin?
>> >
>> > Mark
>> >
>> >
>> >>That should be "je n'en peut plus supporter," natch. Way rusty in
>> >>French.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>>Well, meaningless if translated directly, though there are ways to
>> >>>say
>> >>>them in the argot of other languages.
>> >>>
>> >>>I'm curious about the origins of:
>> >>>
>> >>>I've had it (je l'ai tenue?), in both its meanings--I can't put up
>> >>>with
>> >>>any more of this (je ne peut plus supporter ceci), and I've bought the
>> >>>farm (j'ai achete la ferme)
>> >>>
>> >>>I've been had (j'ai ete eu?)
>> >>>
>> >>>Mark
>> >>
>> >
>>
>
