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Thanks for your understanding.
Chris -- 2018-04-11
I always thought that a pitbull was a dog that was bred to be put in a fighting pit, to “bait” bulls or bears or some other poor innocent soul. The Online ED concurs, suggesting further that the idea of pitting one contestant against another is an example of verbing one more noun. The quote above is from a fb post from one of the world’s fighting scientists, who has jumped into the pit of climate denial. He clearly thinks that a pitbull is one that has been bred in Pittsburg, or at least, is as ferocious and tenacious as Brad. A Lehman’s term (we never really settled on a spelling for Mr. Lehman/n I don’t think).
Definitions As used in this ordinance, the following definitions shall apply: (1) Pitt Bull: any canine whether full or mixed breed, of the following breeds: American Staffordshire Terrier, American Staffordshire, Staffordshire Pitt Bulls, American Stafford Terrier, American Pitt Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier or Pitt Bull.
(c) Sale of Pitt Bulls Sale or facilitation of sale of Pitt Bulls with the City of Everett is prohibited.
Law regarding pit bulls
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Or perhaps, if their background in history is deep enough, the British Prime Minister after whom Pittsburgh was named (Pitt the Elder) or his equally dog-on-a-bone Prime Minister son, Pitt the Younger).
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
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