Samuel Goldwyn? Ted Robinson? Nine-Year-Old in Cleveland Heights? Jake ‘Malaprop’ Mintz?
Dear Quote Investigator: It is flu season, and when a co-worker called in sick recently a friend said that he probably had the “intentional flu”. I had never heard this wordplay on “intestinal flu” before, but my knowledgeable friend stated that this quip originated with Samuel Goldwyn. Is this an authentic Goldwynism?
Quote Investigator: A version of this joke was attributed to Samuel Goldwyn in the short biography “The Great Goldwyn” by Alva Johnston published in 1937. A section of the volume presented “a few Goldwyn lines that are vouched for by good authorities”. This was one:[1] 1937, The Great Goldwyn by Alva Johnston, Quote Page 33, Random House, New York. (Verified on paper in 1978 Arno Press, New York Times edition which reproduces the 1937 edition)
I have been laid up with intentional flu.
Yet, this malapropism was already in circulation by 1932. A humor column by Ted Robinson published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper was filled with incorrect words and phrases. Here is an excerpt followed by a table with the correct terms:[2] 1932 February 1, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Philosopher of Folly’s Column by Ted Robinson, (Letter to Theo from Rimmer), Quote Page 12, Column 3, Cleveland, Ohio. (GenealogyBank)
He must be halving an awful time trying to keep hoase and look after the youngsters. And believe me it isn’t the easiest job in the world keeping an eye on the health of a bunch of off springs like that when winter seems to bring just one epidermis after another. 1st its mumps and then its missiles and then along comes intentional flu or maybe infidel paralysis, and all in all its no snap.
halving = having
hoase = house
off springs = offspring
epidermis = epidemic
its = it’s
missiles = measles
intentional flu = intestinal flu
infidel paralysis = infantile paralysis
Here are additional selected citations in chronological order.
Continue reading “I Have Been Laid Up With Intentional Flu”
References
↑1 | 1937, The Great Goldwyn by Alva Johnston, Quote Page 33, Random House, New York. (Verified on paper in 1978 Arno Press, New York Times edition which reproduces the 1937 edition) |
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↑2 | 1932 February 1, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Philosopher of Folly’s Column by Ted Robinson, (Letter to Theo from Rimmer), Quote Page 12, Column 3, Cleveland, Ohio. (GenealogyBank) |