Thanks again.
But I should make clear that I am looking specifically for use of the words
'fishing fleet' to denote the practice of women going to India to find
husbands.
Yan's suggestion of using the Google 'ngram' is intriguing. However I would
imagine that resource includes any use of 'fishing fleet' - including its
normal use of a flotilla of fishing vessels.
Andrew Lycett
----- Original Message -----
From: "E J Thompson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Andrew Lycett" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 8:18 PM
Subject: Re: fishing fleet
> Hello Andrew,
>
> Monday, July 30, 2012, 6:49:57 PM, you wrote:
>
> AL> Can someone please help me? I am reviewing a new
> AL> book about the 'Fishing Fleet' - sub-titled
> AL> 'Husband-Hunting in the Raj'.
>
> AL> My query is when did this term come into use?
>
> The OED gives quotations for "husband hunting" from Smollett in 1771 and
> Byron in 1823.
>
> --
> Best regards,
> E J Thompson mailto:[log in to unmask]
>
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