Date: Tue, 15 Jul 1997 12:03:39 -0400

From: Gareth Branwyn GarethB2[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM

Subject: McDonalds vs. the OED?



Thought ADS-L readers would find this interesting. This is a joke, right? The

OED wouldn't publish such emphemeral slang, would it? I went to the McLibel

site, and while fascinating, found nothing about this alleged

case.



Gareth



---------- Forwarded message ----------

Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 16:11:06 +0100

From: "i.m.mckay" cllv13[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ccsun.strath.ac.uk

To: anarchy-list[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]cwi.nl

Subject: McJob for McCrunch? (fwd)





Subject: McD Menacing the Oxford English Dictionary

Date: July 13, 1997

From: Dazza ta4091[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]qmw.ac.uk



The UK paper TheIndependent on Sunday, 22 June, carried a story called "OED

chickens out over 'McJob'"



The Oxford English Dictionary has been advised by lawyers not to include the

word "McJob" in its next issue, writes Mark Rowe.



McD's success in the McLibel trial has made the OED wary that the

multinational may seek to flex its muscles in other areas.



"McJob", to the great displeasure of McDonald's, is widely used as a

euphemism

for any form of dead-end, low paid employment. The OED believes the word is

in

common enough useage to be included within its esteemed covers.



The OED says it has yet to make a decision on "McJob", but lawyers have

suggested it drop the word on legal grounds.



OED Chief editor John Simpson said he intended to use the word in future,

but

not in the next 3000-word supplementary edition, due out at the end of the

summer. "We have taken legal advice, since we are aware that companies may

be

unhappy and object to the tone of such words," he said. "To withdraw any

word

is against our policy. We have not yet made a decision."



The definition:



McJob n. colloq. (freq. derog) [the name of the McDonalds chain of fast-food

restaurants, regarded as a typical source of such emplyment + JOB n. Prob.

not

a direct reference to the programme mentioned in quot. 1985, but rather

based

on McDonalds' general practice of using Mc- as a preformative element in a

range of proprietary product names] A poorly paid job with few prospects,

esp.

one taken by an overqualified worker because of a shortage of other

prospects

or lack of ambition.



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