Buffalo wings, Rubik’s cubes, and air-guitars

I don’t think I’ve ever heard carbo-loading.  When did carb-loading come about?

chuffing, adj. The British slang euphemism for “fucking”

This is misleading; it sounds like there is only one such British euphemism and this is it, whereas it’s obscure enough it’s not in the latest Concise Oxford (which is very inclusive and does not shy away from obscenities).  Maybe reword to “A British slang euphemism for ‘fucking’”?

languagehat - 05 June 2012 07:40 AM

chuffing, adj. The British slang euphemism for “fucking”

This is misleading; it sounds like there is only one such British euphemism and this is it, whereas it’s obscure enough it’s not in the latest Concise Oxford (which is very inclusive and does not shy away from obscenities).  Maybe reword to “A British slang euphemism for ‘fucking’”?

My impression as a Briton is that “chuffing” as an expletive is a North of England usage: certainly I only recall Northerners using it. However, since I can’t find any sources to confirm this, I may be speaking out of my chuff …

That’s funny; I ran across something suggesting it was North of England and almost put that in my comment, but then couldn’t find confirmation and decided to omit it.

Faldage - 05 June 2012 04:27 AM

I don’t think I’ve ever heard carbo-loading.  When did carb-loading come about?

There is a reference to “carbo-loading” from 1962, in Biology: The Web of Life VI, Parts [chapters?] 1-9, by Daniel D. Chiras, 1962, unknown page number (unknown due to snippet view limitations).

EDIT: on the 1962 date cited above, languagehat pointed out below that this was likely an error; it was:

...when I looked around at what I thought were unrelated databases, I noticed the publication date of 1962 re-affirmed. I see now that this was an error.

...Dan Chiras began his teaching career in 1976 after earning his Ph.D. in reproductive physiology from the University of Kansas Medical School, where he was awarded the Latimer Award for his research on ovarian physiology. That year, he accepted a teaching and research position at the University of Colorado, Denver…

-- biographical information for Dr. Chiras

I doubt that he would have published many textbooks on Biology fourteen years before that Ph.D.

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There is also a reference in Yoga Journal, of July 1978, on page 38, in footnote #6 which cites an article by Roy Bruder, “Nature’s Carbo-Loading Secrets” by Roy Bruder, Runners World Magazine (Mountain View : World Publications, April 1978)

The earliest “carb-loading"s were seen from the early 1980’s, and were almost entirely snippet views or no-views. (This, from google’s dataset.)

“Carbo” short for “carbohydrate” and “carb” short for “carbo"--I speculate it came about as popular culture became more comfortable speaking of “chemical things.”

unknown page number (unknown due to snippet view limitations).

Just above the snippet it says “Page 89”; in my experience those are accurate.

Edit: On the other hand, the 1962 date may well be wrong; WorldCat says 1993.

Searching inside the book for “1991” turns up references to scientific discoveries made in that year, and searching for “1992” brings up hits that won’t display properly for me, so I feel sure the WorldCat date is more accurate.

languagehat - 12 June 2012 08:35 AM

unknown page number (unknown due to snippet view limitations).

Just above the snippet it says “Page 89”; in my experience those are accurate.

Edit: On the other hand, the 1962 date may well be wrong; WorldCat says 1993.

I was unsure of the reliability of the page number information.

On the 1962 cite:

I saw that 1993 date possibility initially. But when I looked around at what I thought were unrelated databases, I noticed the publication date of 1962 re-affirmed. I see now that this was an error.

...Dan Chiras began his teaching career in 1976 after earning his Ph.D. in reproductive physiology from the University of Kansas Medical School, where he was awarded the Latimer Award for his research on ovarian physiology. That year, he accepted a teaching and research position at the University of Colorado, Denver…

-- biographical information on Dr. Chiras

I doubt that he would have published many textbooks on Biology fourteen years before that Ph.D.