Because I follow US political news, I see the word "shellacking" quite
a bit. In the mid-term elections coming up, all the pundits are
saying that the Democrats are in for a shellacking (a decisive
defeat).

This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries, or
if "shellack" is the term used for the product known as "shellack" in
the US. If a Brit can call paint "emulsion", then who knows what they
call shellack.

"Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.

If the Conservatives are expected to be badly beaten in an upcoming
election in the UK, what term would be used in place of "shellacking"?

How "shellacking" came to be used to describe a decisive defeat is
unknown. A websource says Jesse Sheidlower suggests, but does not
outright state, that it comes from prison slang.

--

Tony Cooper Orlando Florida

El Tue, 18 Jan 2022 13:42:20 -0500, Tony Cooper escribió:

> Because I follow US political news, I see the word "shellacking" quite a
> bit. In the mid-term elections coming up, all the pundits are saying
> that the Democrats are in for a shellacking (a decisive defeat).
>
> This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries, or if
> "shellack" is the term used for the product known as "shellack" in the
> US. If a Brit can call paint "emulsion", then who knows what they call
> shellack.
>
> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.
>
> If the Conservatives are expected to be badly beaten in an upcoming
> election in the UK, what term would be used in place of "shellacking"?
>
>
> How "shellacking" came to be used to describe a decisive defeat is
> unknown. A websource says Jesse Sheidlower suggests, but does not
> outright state, that it comes from prison slang.

In my (BrE) experience, shellack is shellack and losers get a good
pasting or thrashing.

--
Paul.

https://paulc.es/elpatio

In article <6j1eugt1gr1lkih83gp01m08caopnmbcn8@4ax.com>,
Tony Cooper <tonycooper214@gmail.com> wrote:

>This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries, or
>if "shellack" is the term used for the product known as "shellack" in
>the US.

The substance and the verb are both "shellac", no "k". The "k" is
added according to the normal rule for formation of participles from
verbs ending in "c", on the model of "magic", "magicked" / "panic",
"panicked".

-GAWollman

--
Garrett A. Wollman | "Act to avoid constraining the future; if you can,
wollman@bimajority.org| act to remove constraint from the future. This is
Opinions not shared by| a thing you can do, are able to do, to do together."
my employers. | - Graydon Saunders, _A Succession of Bad Days_ (2015)

On Tue, 18 Jan 2022 13:42:20 -0500
Tony Cooper <tonycooper214@gmail.com> wrote:

> Because I follow US political news, I see the word "shellacking" quite
> a bit. In the mid-term elections coming up, all the pundits are
> saying that the Democrats are in for a shellacking (a decisive
> defeat).
>
> This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries, or
> if "shellack" is the term used for the product known as "shellack" in
> the US. If a Brit can call paint "emulsion", then who knows what they
> call shellack.
>
> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.
>
We'd probably just call it varnish.

Shellac is some red colorant used in certain sweets made from crushed beetles or is that cochineal? ah sorry, my inner ear is a bit dodgy.

Ah, I knew there was something Veggies dion't like about it.
https://thegreenvegans.com/what-is-shellac/

> If the Conservatives are expected to be badly beaten in an upcoming
> election in the UK, what term would be used in place of "shellacking"?
>
>
> How "shellacking" came to be used to describe a decisive defeat is
> unknown. A websource says Jesse Sheidlower suggests, but does not
> outright state, that it comes from prison slang.
>
>
> --
>
> Tony Cooper Orlando Florida

--
Bah, and indeed Humbug.

On Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 6:42:27 PM UTC, Tony Cooper wrote:
> Because I follow US political news, I see the word "shellacking" quite
> a bit. In the mid-term elections coming up, all the pundits are
> saying that the Democrats are in for a shellacking (a decisive
> defeat).
>
> This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries, or
> if "shellack" is the term used for the product known as "shellack" in
> the US. If a Brit can call paint "emulsion", then who knows what they
> call shellack.

"Emulsion"? In a tasteful shade of magnolia I hope.

> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.

We know what that is, but we have Ronseal "which does exactly what it
says on the tin".

> If the Conservatives are expected to be badly beaten in an upcoming
> election in the UK, what term would be used in place of "shellacking"?

From our safe distance, it seems as though the Civil War is being played out
again? Failing that the Seventies, with Neil Young berating "Southern Man",
and Lynrnrd Skynyrd berating Neil Young?

Lynrnrd Skynyrd's "Famous Last Words" anyone?

On Tue, 18 Jan 2022 13:42:20 -0500, Tony Cooper
<tonycooper214@gmail.com> wrote:

>Because I follow US political news, I see the word "shellacking" quite
>a bit. In the mid-term elections coming up, all the pundits are
>saying that the Democrats are in for a shellacking (a decisive
>defeat).
>
>This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries, or
>if "shellack" is the term used for the product known as "shellack" in
>the US. If a Brit can call paint "emulsion", then who knows what they
>call shellack.
>
>"Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.

Nothing to do with what you posted, but the word is spelled "shellac."
However "shellacking" is so spelled.

Shellac is not a varnish or lacquer, but a resin secreted by a bug.
It's used for more than just furniture.

>If the Conservatives are expected to be badly beaten in an upcoming
>election in the UK, what term would be used in place of "shellacking"?
>
>
>How "shellacking" came to be used to describe a decisive defeat is
>unknown. A websource says Jesse Sheidlower suggests, but does not
>outright state, that it comes from prison slang.

On 19/01/2022 7:42 a.m., Tony Cooper wrote:
> Because I follow US political news, I see the word "shellacking" quite
> a bit. In the mid-term elections coming up, all the pundits are
> saying that the Democrats are in for a shellacking (a decisive
> defeat).
>
> This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries, or
> if "shellack" is the term used for the product known as "shellack" in
> the US. If a Brit can call paint "emulsion", then who knows what they
> call shellack.
>
> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.
>
> If the Conservatives are expected to be badly beaten in an upcoming
> election in the UK, what term would be used in place of "shellacking"?
>
>
> How "shellacking" came to be used to describe a decisive defeat is
> unknown. A websource says Jesse Sheidlower suggests, but does not
> outright state, that it comes from prison slang.
>

Green's citations start in the 1920s, in the sense "beat up", which
extends naturally to beating someone soundly in a competition.

1928 T.A. Dorgan in Zwilling TAD Lex. (1993) 72: After Tunney shellacked
him in the Windy City, Dempsey put on his kelly, fixed his collar and
retired from the turf.

It does seem to be basically American, but there's one Australian example:

1951 D. Stivens Jimmy Brockett 86: I'd seen a bloke once after a push
had shellacked him, and a junk man wouldn't have given two bob for him.

It's also in Macquarie and OxNZDic, which suggests that it's known in
this part of the world.

As to its journey from varnish to violence, here's Green's etymological
note to add to Sheidlower's comment:

[SE shellac, to coat or varnish with shellac; note Dennis Wilson on
American Dialect Society List (Internet, 14/11/02: ‘Here are my guesses;
I find any of them plausible, or a combination. (1) Derivative of German
“schlagen” (= “strike”) or equivalent. Cf. supposed etymology of
“schlock” (from Yiddish). Cf. “Our team really got clobbered”, “I really
got hammered on schnapps last night”, “They really gave him a pounding”.
(2) Onomatopoeic (cf. “smack”, “whack” etc). (3) [The books seem to
favor this one] Shellacking being the last step in finishing something;
thus something shellacked is something completed, something which has
been “finished off”’]

On 18-Jan-22 18:42, Tony Cooper wrote:

> If the Conservatives are expected to be badly beaten in an upcoming
> election in the UK, what term would be used in place of "shellacking"?
>
Probably lots of different ones, but "drubbing" comes to mind.

--
Sam Plusnet

On 19/01/2022 9:28 a.m., Ken Blake wrote:
> On Tue, 18 Jan 2022 13:42:20 -0500, Tony Cooper
> <tonycooper214@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Because I follow US political news, I see the word "shellacking" quite
>> a bit. In the mid-term elections coming up, all the pundits are
>> saying that the Democrats are in for a shellacking (a decisive
>> defeat).
>>
>> This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries, or
>> if "shellack" is the term used for the product known as "shellack" in
>> the US. If a Brit can call paint "emulsion", then who knows what they
>> call shellack.
>>
>> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.
>
>
> Nothing to do with what you posted, but the word is spelled "shellac."
> However "shellacking" is so spelled.
>
> Shellac is not a varnish or lacquer, but a resin secreted by a bug.
> It's used for more than just furniture.
>

It was also the material from which phonograph records were made Before
Vinyl.

On 19/01/22 07:24, spains...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 6:42:27 PM UTC, Tony Cooper wrote:

>> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.
>
> We know what that is, but we have Ronseal "which does exactly what it
> says on the tin".

How does Ron feel about that?

Speaking of whom, has anyone heard from Ron lately?

--
Peter Moylan Newcastle, NSW http://www.pmoylan.org

On 18-Jan-22 20:14, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
> On Tue, 18 Jan 2022 13:42:20 -0500
> Tony Cooper <tonycooper214@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.
>>
> We'd probably just call it varnish.
>
> Shellac is some red colorant used in certain sweets made from crushed beetles or is that cochineal? ah sorry, my inner ear is a bit dodgy.

It does (or did) give a red colour to things like transformer windings[1].

[1] Low(ish) voltage transformers - not too much use on power
transmission transformers.

--
Sam Plusnet

On Wed, 19 Jan 2022 11:54:33 +1300, in alt.usage.english Ross Clark <benlizro@ihug.co.nz> wrote:

>On 19/01/2022 9:28 a.m., Ken Blake wrote:
>> On Tue, 18 Jan 2022 13:42:20 -0500, Tony Cooper
>> <tonycooper214@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Because I follow US political news, I see the word "shellacking" quite
>>> a bit. In the mid-term elections coming up, all the pundits are
>>> saying that the Democrats are in for a shellacking (a decisive
>>> defeat).
>>>
>>> This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries, or
>>> if "shellack" is the term used for the product known as "shellack" in
>>> the US. If a Brit can call paint "emulsion", then who knows what they
>>> call shellack.
>>>
>>> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.
>>
>>
>> Nothing to do with what you posted, but the word is spelled "shellac."
>> However "shellacking" is so spelled.
>>
>> Shellac is not a varnish or lacquer, but a resin secreted by a bug.
>> It's used for more than just furniture.
>>
>
>It was also the material from which phonograph records were made Before
>Vinyl.

Yes! That is why it sounded familiar to me.

--
Bart Dinnissen
in The Netherlands

On 1/18/2022 3:24 PM, spains...@gmail.com wrote:
> Tony Cooper wrote:

>> Because I follow US political news, I see the word "shellacking"
>> quite a bit. In the mid-term elections coming up, all the pundits
>> are saying that the Democrats are in for a shellacking (a decisive
>> defeat).

>> This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries,
>> or if "shellack" is the term used for the product known as
>> "shellack" in the US. If a Brit can call paint "emulsion", then who
>> knows what they call shellack.

> "Emulsion"? In a tasteful shade of magnolia I hope.

>> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to
>> furniture.

> We know what that is, but we have Ronseal "which does exactly what
> it says on the tin".

>> If the Conservatives are expected to be badly beaten in an
>> upcoming election in the UK, what term would be used in place of
>> "shellacking"?

> From our safe distance, it seems as though the Civil War is being
> played out again? Failing that the Seventies, with Neil Young
> berating "Southern Man", and Lynrnrd Skynyrd berating Neil Young?

> Lynrnrd Skynyrd's "Famous Last Words" anyone?

"Oh, shit!"?

On Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at 1:41:12 PM UTC, CDB wrote:
> On 1/18/2022 3:24 PM, spains...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Tony Cooper wrote:
>
> >> Because I follow US political news, I see the word "shellacking"
> >> quite a bit. In the mid-term elections coming up, all the pundits
> >> are saying that the Democrats are in for a shellacking (a decisive
> >> defeat).
>
> >> This causes me to wonder if that term is used in other countries,
> >> or if "shellack" is the term used for the product known as
> >> "shellack" in the US. If a Brit can call paint "emulsion", then who
> >> knows what they call shellack.
>
> > "Emulsion"? In a tasteful shade of magnolia I hope.
>
> >> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to
> >> furniture.
>
> > We know what that is, but we have Ronseal "which does exactly what
> > it says on the tin".
>
> >> If the Conservatives are expected to be badly beaten in an
> >> upcoming election in the UK, what term would be used in place of
> >> "shellacking"?
>
> > From our safe distance, it seems as though the Civil War is being
> > played out again? Failing that the Seventies, with Neil Young
> > berating "Southern Man", and Lynrnrd Skynyrd berating Neil Young?
>
> > Lynrnrd Skynyrd's "Famous Last Words" anyone?
> "Oh, shit!"?

Probably. I was thinking more of Van Zant's "If your time is up, your time is
up", as he persuaded another of the band to board an unsafe plane that would
kill them both:

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNpEs7ajMMk>

On 1/18/2022 9:33 PM, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> On 18-Jan-22 20:14, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
>> On Tue, 18 Jan 2022 13:42:20 -0500
>> Tony Cooper <tonycooper214@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> "Shellack" is a varnish or lacquer used as a final coat to furniture.
>>>
>> We'd probably just call it varnish.
>>
>> Shellac is some red colorant used in certain sweets made from crushed beetles or is that cochineal? ah sorry, my inner ear is a bit dodgy.
>
> It does (or did) give a red colour to things like transformer windings[1].
>
> [1] Low(ish) voltage transformers - not too much use on power
> transmission transformers.

I don't think they use varnish anymore, but many types of
"enameled wire" still keep the familiar reddish color.

I used enameled wire for my crystal (i.e., diode) radio and a
number of coils and solenoids in various projects. There were
audiophiles who wound their own output transformers (needed by
tube/valve amplifiers).

The PRC-sourced department stores in my high school years
sold small industrial stuffs in addition to household stuffs.
As a kid I was fascinated by many of the machines and gadgets.
One of them was a manual coil winder that kept track of how
many rounds one has done with a set of dials and needles
(like a clock face).

--
Tak
----------------------------------------------------------------+-----
Tak To takto@alum.mit.eduxx
--------------------------------------------------------------------^^
[taode takto ~{LU5B~}] NB: trim the xx to get my real email addr

On 1/18/2022 3:28 PM, Ken Blake wrote:
> [...]
> Shellac is not a varnish or

That is a distinction that I don't really agree with. As far
as I am concerned shellac is a kind of varnish, which is a
cover term of all sorts of clear wood finishes that comprise
solvent, resin, dye, oil, etc.

Of course nowadays there are many products which are called
"varnish" but are made quite differently. I think it was
the manufacturers of these products that started insisting
on the distinction.

> or lacquer,

Lacquer as in Asian lacquerware is another kind of varnish,
one that has as a main ingredient oil from the Chinese lacquer
tree (or related trees). However, the word 'lacquer' was from
Sanskrit and was based on the same material as in shellac.

> but a resin secreted by a bug.
> It's used for more than just furniture.

Correct.

--
Tak
----------------------------------------------------------------+-----
Tak To takto@alum.mit.eduxx
--------------------------------------------------------------------^^
[taode takto ~{LU5B~}] NB: trim the xx to get my real email addr