Date:    Sat, 25 Apr 1998 11:21:09 +1000
<br>From:    Ross Chambers <maelduin[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]OZEMAIL.COM.AU>
<br>Subject: A raft of...?
<br>
<br>A phrase which appears and disappears in Australia is "A raft of..."
<br>
<br>Its users seem to be mainly from the
<br>governmental/managerial/labour-union classes, who often refer to
<br> "a raft of new legislation/issues/concessions" etc.
<br>
<br>I hadn't seen or read it for a couple of years, since its last term as a
<br>vogue phrase--now the phrase seems to have found a new life in the last
<br>half-year or so--perhaps related to the change of Federal government
<br>here.
<br>
<br>Partridge says
<br>1) "A (very) large number, as in 'A raft of people attended the meeting'
<br>NZ, since ca.1944. Adopted ex US servicemen.
<br>
<br>2) 'A number of wagons during shunting' Railwaymen's since ca.1945, same
<br>source as 1).
<br>
<br>[although these uses referring to concrete items is currently uncommon
<br>in Oz, the phrase being reserved for abstract concepts-- rc]
<br>
<br>The Question: Where did these influential US servicemen derive the term?
<br>
<br>Kind regards - Ross Chambers
<br>
<br>
<br>--
<br>
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<br>Ross Chambers           Sydney       Australia
<br>maelduin[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ozemail.com.au
<br>
<br>"L'Australia non e solo agli antipodi, e lontana da tutto,
<br>  talora anche da sa stessa."
<br>
<br>(Australia is not only  at the Antipodes, she is away from everything,
<br>sometimes even from herself)
<br>
<br>Umberto Eco
<br>
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