One off

[Markus Aurelius Franzoi]

Hi everyone. I hate to get into the Ripper debates but I just found the earliest published record of the use of the term "one off".

It's from the British Bee Journal of 1882 and refers to a person. Sorry battery dying.

[Mr. Poster]

Hi San Fran

The problem here is that someone is going to pop up and say that while one-off may have been around, the phrase "one off instance" never existed before the diary.


Which is of course an utterly ridiculous argument in that the phrase is "one off" and that was found before 1888 as you point out.

Its combination with a third word doesnt expand the phrase to "one off instance".

So long as "one off" existed then its is no problem. Its combination with any other word, the combination of which cannot be found in type before 1888, is meaningless in relation to the diary,

But you did well confirming that one-0ff as a phrase can be found before 1888.

p

[Howard Brown]

Santa Lucia:

Was that a bone of contention whether it appeared before 1888 ?

[Mr. Poster]

Its currently theee bone of contention in some quarters....that's where we've come to after all these years.

p

[Markus Aurelius Franzoi]

Howard,

I believe the bone of contention is that it was never used before circa 1912 and only in the manufacturing business related to a one-time only, custom-made item.

I haven't looked at the Diary text lately but I think it makes sense to add the word 'instance' to clarify that it's not an one-off piece being made.

I'll hook up the link with the quote.

[Markus Aurelius Franzoi]

British Bee Journal - Volume 103 - Page 75

British Bee Publications, 1882 - Bee culture

1882 - Snippet view - More editions

...keepers of this country need to stop and think for a few moments of the privilege that we had when we say, "Yes, I remember Paddy".
As has been said "he was a one-off." How much we owe to him cannot yet be in any way measured, time will record for us the debt we owe for his efforts towards a better understanding of bee-keeping and of ourselves.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=-nA...=X&redir_esc=y

[Howard Brown]

Thanks Lars & San...

[Gary Barnett]

British Bee Journal - Volume 103 - Page 75

British Bee Publications, 1882 - Bee culture

1882 - Snippet view - More editions


https://books.google.ca/books?id=-nA...=X&redir_esc=y

SF,

Have you posted this over on Casebook?

Gary

[Markus Aurelius Franzoi]

No, Gary, I haven't. I'm not on Casebook.

If you or someone else wants to, go right ahead. Thanks.

[Gary Barnett]

No, Gary, I haven't. I'm not on Casebook.

If you or someone else wants to, go right ahead. Thanks.

Hi SF,

I've just looked at your link again. Although it purports to be from 1882, page 75 also uses the term DIY and page 102 mentions 'Paddy' and also refers to March, 1975.

Gary

[Debra Arif]

Hi SF,

I've just looked at your link again. Although it purports to be from 1882, page 75 also uses the term DIY and page 102 mentions 'Paddy' and also refers to March, 1975.

Gary

Good spot, Gary. The 1881/2 British Bee Journal on Internet Archive is volume IX (9). Vol L (50) of the same book dates to 1921. This version is Volume 103 according to the link, which would date it to the 1970's as you say.

[Debra Arif]

The phrase "a one off" does not appear in the 1881/2 edition of the British Bee Journal Vol IX

[Mr. Poster]

Lucky he/she didn't post it over on the other site then or his/her bones would now be bleaching in the sun.........

p

[Markus Aurelius Franzoi]

Uh okay, that's why I don't like to get into the Ripper discussions.

How about this one I just found? It looks like an old volume. 1904.

http://books.google.ca/books?redir_e...2a+one-off%22+

[Markus Aurelius Franzoi]

The plan though the simplest from a "one-off" standpoint may be apt to leave an ugly parting mark in the casing.

The Model Engineer and Practical Electrician, Volume 10

Percival Marshall & Company, 1904 - Machinery