Re: english words absorbed into Asian languages during WW2

benlizross wrote: 
Peter T. Daniels wrote:

net


I think "middle of nowhere" is a somewhat misleading gloss. Better
"rough country; jungle; an isolated or wild region" (OED), or "remote
places, rural regions" (Chapman). Relative to where most people live,
the mountains are uncultivated, unpopulated, uncivilized and difficult
of access. It is no accident that "hillbillies" live there. Of course,
to a big-city person such as yourself, such places are "nowhere", or
"I-don't-know-where". And of course the meaning is quite capable of
broadening: if the words of the 1965 pop song "Down in the boondocks"
reflect actual usage, it could just refer to the wrong side of town.

When I first came across the word, almost certainly in American Science Fiction (probably Heinlein) I imagined an urban wasteland - probably suggested by 'docks'.

Colin
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Night flying times
    ... ridges and mountains may cause darkness to be present earlier than the official sunset time. ... "Official" sunset occurred 33 minutes prior to the accident, so "official" night would have occurred 3 minutes prior to the accident. ... currency are adequate? ...
    (rec.aviation.ifr)
  • Re: Night flying times
    ... ridges and mountains may cause ... >> darkness to be present earlier than the official sunset time. ... there was a fatal accident involving a Gulfstream at Aspen. ...
    (rec.aviation.ifr)
  • Re: Night flying times
    ... ridges and mountains may cause darkness to be present earlier than the official sunset time. ... "Official" sunset occurred 33 minutes prior to the accident, so "official" night would have occurred 3 minutes prior to the accident. ...
    (rec.aviation.ifr)