J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:

> I just heard on a TV drama "it dominoes quickly", which is presumably a
> reference to the expression "fell like dominoes", which caused me to
> think: my perception is that the practice of setting up many thousands
> of dominoes to fall over, usually to break a new world (or national,
> state, or whatever) record, really got going in the 1970s or '80s. But I
> feel the expression is older than that - so what is its origin?
>

News just in: Verbing nouns weirds language.

[crosspost added: apihna; aue]

ObApostrophe abuse: him's; her's; it's.

--
^Ï^. Sn!pe, PA, FIBS - Professional Crastinator

My pet rock Gordon has full confidence in our political masters.

On 24/03/24 03:01, Sn!pe wrote:
> J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
>
>> I just heard on a TV drama "it dominoes quickly", which is
>> presumably a reference to the expression "fell like dominoes",
>> which caused me to think: my perception is that the practice of
>> setting up many thousands of dominoes to fall over, usually to
>> break a new world (or national, state, or whatever) record, really
>> got going in the 1970s or '80s. But I feel the expression is older
>> than that - so what is its origin?
>
> News just in: Verbing nouns weirds language.
>
> [crosspost added: apihna; aue]
>
> ObApostrophe abuse: him's; her's; it's.

"The domino theory" had a major influence on Australian politics in the
1950s. The idea was that if one country converted to communism, that
would immediately spread to the next country in line.

The idea was especially powerful given that, on a map, the path from
China to Australia was downhill all the way.

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

On Sun, 24 Mar 2024 10:12:05 +1100, Peter Moylan
<peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> wrote:

>On 24/03/24 03:01, Sn!pe wrote:
>> J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> I just heard on a TV drama "it dominoes quickly", which is
>>> presumably a reference to the expression "fell like dominoes",
>>> which caused me to think: my perception is that the practice of
>>> setting up many thousands of dominoes to fall over, usually to
>>> break a new world (or national, state, or whatever) record, really
>>> got going in the 1970s or '80s. But I feel the expression is older
>>> than that - so what is its origin?
>>
>> News just in: Verbing nouns weirds language.
>>
>> [crosspost added: apihna; aue]
>>
>> ObApostrophe abuse: him's; her's; it's.
>
>"The domino theory" had a major influence on Australian politics in the
>1950s. The idea was that if one country converted to communism, that
>would immediately spread to the next country in line.

In the late 1960s, as I recall, the domino theory was a
mainstay of why the US had to stay in Viet Nam. I don't
know if it was invoked for why we went there in the first
place.

Oh, a quick Google between 1950 and 1970 hits a mention
of "Eisenhower's domino theory" - so that would be 1950s.
(I remembered to click 'Tools' after the first search, to set
a range -- a refinement I've only lately started using. Some
hits have recent dates, for reasons yet unknown, but most
are old.)

>
>The idea was especially powerful given that, on a map, the path from
>China to Australia was downhill all the way.

--
Rich Ulrich

In message <ulquvipigjf1c7mri3lksscq50ee6924in@4ax.com> at Sat, 23 Mar
2024 20:02:02, Rich Ulrich <rich.ulrich@comcast.net> writes
>On Sun, 24 Mar 2024 10:12:05 +1100, Peter Moylan
><peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> wrote:
>
>>On 24/03/24 03:01, Sn!pe wrote:
>>> J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I just heard on a TV drama "it dominoes quickly", which is
>>>> presumably a reference to the expression "fell like dominoes",
>>>> which caused me to think: my perception is that the practice of
>>>> setting up many thousands of dominoes to fall over, usually to
>>>> break a new world (or national, state, or whatever) record, really
>>>> got going in the 1970s or '80s. But I feel the expression is older
>>>> than that - so what is its origin?
>>>
>>> News just in: Verbing nouns weirds language.
>>>
>>> [crosspost added: apihna; aue]
>>>
>>> ObApostrophe abuse: him's; her's; it's.
>>
>>"The domino theory" had a major influence on Australian politics in the
>>1950s. The idea was that if one country converted to communism, that
>>would immediately spread to the next country in line.
>
>In the late 1960s, as I recall, the domino theory was a
>mainstay of why the US had to stay in Viet Nam. I don't
>know if it was invoked for why we went there in the first
>place.
>
>Oh, a quick Google between 1950 and 1970 hits a mention
>of "Eisenhower's domino theory" - so that would be 1950s.
>(I remembered to click 'Tools' after the first search, to set
>a range -- a refinement I've only lately started using. Some
>hits have recent dates, for reasons yet unknown, but most
>are old.)
>
>>
>>The idea was especially powerful given that, on a map, the path from
>>China to Australia was downhill all the way.
>
Yes, but why "domino", rather than "downhill", "cascade", "chain", or
similar?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Science fiction is escape into reality - Arthur C Clarke

J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:

[...]

> >In the late 1960s, as I recall, the domino theory was a
> >mainstay of why the US had to stay in Viet Nam. I don't
> >know if it was invoked for why we went there in the first
> >place.
> >
> >Oh, a quick Google between 1950 and 1970 hits a mention
> >of "Eisenhower's domino theory" - so that would be 1950s.
> >(I remembered to click 'Tools' after the first search, to set
> >a range -- a refinement I've only lately started using. Some
> >hits have recent dates, for reasons yet unknown, but most
> >are old.)
> >
> >>
> >>The idea was especially powerful given that, on a map, the path from
> >>China to Australia was downhill all the way.
> >
> Yes, but why "domino", rather than "downhill", "cascade", "chain", or
> similar?

It does convey a sense of serial falling, also clattering.

--
^Ï^. Sn!pe, PA, FIBS - Professional Crastinator

My pet rock Gordon has full confidence in our political masters.

In message <1qqwgl6.1rdonoatkxj4bN%snipeco.2@gmail.com> at Sun, 24 Mar
2024 01:12:53, Sn!pe <snipeco.2@gmail.com> writes
>J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
>
>[...]
>
>> >In the late 1960s, as I recall, the domino theory was a
>> >mainstay of why the US had to stay in Viet Nam. I don't
>> >know if it was invoked for why we went there in the first
>> >place.
>> >
>> >Oh, a quick Google between 1950 and 1970 hits a mention
>> >of "Eisenhower's domino theory" - so that would be 1950s.
>> >(I remembered to click 'Tools' after the first search, to set
>> >a range -- a refinement I've only lately started using. Some
>> >hits have recent dates, for reasons yet unknown, but most
>> >are old.)
>> >
>> >>
>> >>The idea was especially powerful given that, on a map, the path from
>> >>China to Australia was downhill all the way.
>> >
>> Yes, but why "domino", rather than "downhill", "cascade", "chain", or
>> similar?
>
>It does convey a sense of serial falling, also clattering.
>
Only if the practice of setting up dominoes in this way is a lot older
than I thought it was.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

A professor is one who talks in someone else's sleep.

J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:

> Sn!pe <snipeco.2@gmail.com> writes
> >J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:

[...]

> >> Yes, but why "domino", rather than "downhill", "cascade",
> >> "chain", or similar?
> >
> >It does convey a sense of serial falling, also clattering.
> >
> Only if the practice of setting up dominoes in this way is
> a lot older than I thought it was.

It must be nearly 70 years ago (i.e. mid-1950s) that my dad showed
me that domino trick. I'm pretty sure that he would have learned it
in his own early childhood, no doubt from his own dad, my grandad.
That would be a century ago.

--
^Ï^. Sn!pe, PA, FIBS - Professional Crastinator

My pet rock Gordon has full confidence in our political masters.

Rich Ulrich:
> In the late 1960s, as I recall, the domino theory was a
> mainstay of why the US had to stay in Viet Nam...

> Oh, a quick Google between 1950 and 1970 hits a mention
> of "Eisenhower's domino theory" - so that would be 1950s.

Indeed, in the OED Online the earliest cite for this metaphorical
use of "domino" is by one D.D. Eisenhower in 1954:

# "You had broader considerations that might follow what you might
# call the 'falling domino' principle. You had a row of dominoes set
# up, and you knocked over the first one, and what would happen to
# the last one was the certainty that it would go over very quickly."

They list it as a sense of "domino" rather than having an entry for
the actual phrase "domino theory". The earliest cite using the
phrase is from 1965 (in the "New Statesman").
--
Mark Brader, Toronto "Yes, you're very smart. Shut up."
msb@vex.net --The Princess Bride

My text in this article is in the public domain.

J. P. Gilliver wrote:

> In message <1qqwgl6.1rdonoatkxj4bN%snipeco.2@gmail.com> at Sun, 24 Mar
> 2024 01:12:53, Sn!pe <snipeco.2@gmail.com> writes
>>J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:

[domino theory]

>>> Yes, but why "domino", rather than "downhill", "cascade", "chain", or
>>> similar?
>>
>>It does convey a sense of serial falling, also clattering.
>>
> Only if the practice of setting up dominoes in this way is a lot older
> than I thought it was.

Here's a reference from 1866:

https://books.google.com/books?id=yhoFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA76

The author calls it "This familiar trick, which perhaps every reader
has practiced as a child."

--
Jerry Friedman

In message <ad754fe3f21e66ab4c84c7047a8db0db@www.novabbs.com> at Sun, 24
Mar 2024 03:20:26, jerryfriedman <jerry.friedman99@gmail.com> writes
>J. P. Gilliver wrote:
>
>> In message <1qqwgl6.1rdonoatkxj4bN%snipeco.2@gmail.com> at Sun, 24
>>Mar 2024 01:12:53, Sn!pe <snipeco.2@gmail.com> writes
>>>J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
>
>[domino theory]
>
>>>> Yes, but why "domino", rather than "downhill", "cascade", "chain", or
>>>> similar?
>>>
>>>It does convey a sense of serial falling, also clattering.
>>>
>> Only if the practice of setting up dominoes in this way is a lot
>>older than I thought it was.
>
>Here's a reference from 1866:
>
>https://books.google.com/books?id=yhoFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA76
>
>The author calls it "This familiar trick, which perhaps every reader
>has practiced as a child."
>
OK, fair enough - obviously a lot older than I'd thought! I guess the
mass record-breaking activity _did_ perhaps get going about the
1970s/'80s (especially in Holland for some reason), but the practice -
and thus concept - is much older.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"Scheisse," said Pooh, trying out his German.

In article <utnnk7$3trum$1@dont-email.me>,
peter@pmoylan.org.invalid says...
>
> On 24/03/24 03:01, Sn!pe wrote:
> > J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
> >
> >> I just heard on a TV drama "it dominoes quickly", which is
> >> presumably a reference to the expression "fell like dominoes",
> >> which caused me to think: my perception is that the practice of
> >> setting up many thousands of dominoes to fall over, usually to
> >> break a new world (or national, state, or whatever) record, really
> >> got going in the 1970s or '80s. But I feel the expression is older
> >> than that - so what is its origin?
> >
> > News just in: Verbing nouns weirds language.
> >
> > [crosspost added: apihna; aue]
> >
> > ObApostrophe abuse: him's; her's; it's.
>
> "The domino theory" had a major influence on Australian politics in the
> 1950s. The idea was that if one country converted to communism, that
> would immediately spread to the next country in line.

Doesn't the first domino have to fall, before it can
crush its neighbour ?
>
> The idea was especially powerful given that, on a map, the path from
> China to Australia was downhill all the way.

Sounds like Thatcher and Reagan's theory of trickle-
down wealth. If you let the rich get even richer, it
benefits the poor.
It's just a matter of time until someone explains how
promoting obesity in the first world benefits the starving
elsewhere.

Janet

<nobody@home.com> wrote:

[...]

> It's just a matter of time until someone explains how
> promoting obesity in the first world benefits the starving
> elsewhere.
>
> Janet
>

Apart from evil capitalist "food" manufacturers,
who is promoting obesity?

--
^Ï^. Sn!pe, PA, FIBS - Professional Crastinator

My pet rock Gordon has full confidence in our political masters.

On 24-Mar-24 16:42, Sn!pe wrote:
> <nobody@home.com> wrote:
>
> [...]
>
>> It's just a matter of time until someone explains how
>> promoting obesity in the first world benefits the starving
>> elsewhere.
>>
>> Janet
>>
>
> Apart from evil capitalist "food" manufacturers,
> who is promoting obesity?

WeightWatchers. Their very existence depends on it.

--
Sam Plusnet

On Sun, 24 Mar 2024 18:53:25 +0000, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:

>On 24-Mar-24 16:42, Sn!pe wrote:
>> <nobody@home.com> wrote:
>>
>> [...]
>>
>>> It's just a matter of time until someone explains how
>>> promoting obesity in the first world benefits the starving
>>> elsewhere.
>>>
>>> Janet
>>>
>>
>> Apart from evil capitalist "food" manufacturers,
>> who is promoting obesity?
>
>WeightWatchers. Their very existence depends on it.

That's like saying that doctors and hospitals promote illness.

There is an element of promotion, but the element is the recognition
of obesity or illness and the need to deal with it, not the promotion
of being obese or ill.

Tony Cooper wrote:

>>> Apart from evil capitalist "food" manufacturers,
>>> who is promoting obesity?
>>
>>WeightWatchers. Their very existence depends on it.
>
> That's like saying that doctors and hospitals promote illness.

Or saying that teachers promote stupidity.

--
Bertel, Denmark

On Sun, 24 Mar 2024 20:25:52 +0100, Bertel Lund Hansen
<gadekryds@lundhansen.dk> wrote:

>Tony Cooper wrote:
>
>>>> Apart from evil capitalist "food" manufacturers,
>>>> who is promoting obesity?
>>>
>>>WeightWatchers. Their very existence depends on it.
>>
>> That's like saying that doctors and hospitals promote illness.
>
>Or saying that teachers promote stupidity.

Well, Florida's Governor DeSantis is busily proposing and enacting
laws to achieve that. Lessons about slavery, for example, now must
include that "slaves developed skills" that could be used for "their
personal benefit".

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-black-history-curriculum-document-pdf-new-teaching-standards-slavery-education/

Tony Cooper wrote:

>>Or saying that teachers promote stupidity.
>
> Well, Florida's Governor DeSantis is busily proposing and enacting
> laws to achieve that. Lessons about slavery, for example, now must
> include that "slaves developed skills" that could be used for "their
> personal benefit".
>
> https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-black-history-curriculum-document-pdf-new-teaching-standards-slavery-education/

Reality surpasses imagination.

--
Bertel, Denmark

On Sun, 24 Mar 2024 16:14:54 -0400, Tony Cooper
<tonycooper214@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Sun, 24 Mar 2024 20:25:52 +0100, Bertel Lund Hansen
><gadekryds@lundhansen.dk> wrote:
>
>>Tony Cooper wrote:
>>
>>>>> Apart from evil capitalist "food" manufacturers,
>>>>> who is promoting obesity?
>>>>
>>>>WeightWatchers. Their very existence depends on it.
>>>
>>> That's like saying that doctors and hospitals promote illness.
>>
>>Or saying that teachers promote stupidity.
>
>Well, Florida's Governor DeSantis is busily proposing and enacting
>laws to achieve that. Lessons about slavery, for example, now must
>include that "slaves developed skills" that could be used for "their
>personal benefit".
>
>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-black-history-curriculum-document-pdf-new-teaching-standards-slavery-education/

When that came out, some apologists offered as examples
of slave training a bunch of names of Blacks who became
famous in the last quarter of the 19th century. Unfortunately
for their case, none (?) of them were proper examples.

At least half of them had never been slaves, a couple being
too young; and the rest had educated themselves afterwards.

Maybe some of the quiet racists have been confused by
dim recollections of the history of the Mamlucks, a slave caste
in Egypt (approximately) - (Wiki)
Most notably, Mamluk factions seized the sultanate centered
on Egypt and Syria, and controlled it as the Mamluk Sultanate
(1250–1517)

Slave success!

--
Rich Ulrich

On 25/03/24 03:04, Janet wrote:
> In article <utnnk7$3trum$1@dont-email.me>,
> peter@pmoylan.org.invalid says...

>> "The domino theory" had a major influence on Australian politics in the
>> 1950s. The idea was that if one country converted to communism, that
>> would immediately spread to the next country in line.
>
> Doesn't the first domino have to fall, before it can
> crush its neighbour ?

>> The idea was especially powerful given that, on a map, the path from
>> China to Australia was downhill all the way.
>
> Sounds like Thatcher and Reagan's theory of trickle-
> down wealth. If you let the rich get even richer, it
> benefits the poor.
>
> It's just a matter of time until someone explains how
> promoting obesity in the first world benefits the starving
> elsewhere.

The trickle-down theory explained:

<http://www.pmoylan.org/ftp/humour/outhouse.jpg>

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

jerry.friedman99@gmail.com (jerryfriedman) writes:
> J. P. Gilliver wrote:
>> In message <1qqwgl6.1rdonoatkxj4bN%snipeco.2@gmail.com> at Sun, 24
>> Mar 2024 01:12:53, Sn!pe <snipeco.2@gmail.com> writes
>>>J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
>
> [domino theory]
>
>>>> Yes, but why "domino", rather than "downhill", "cascade", "chain", or
>>>> similar?
>>>
>>>It does convey a sense of serial falling, also clattering.
>>>
>> Only if the practice of setting up dominoes in this way is a lot
>> older than I thought it was.
>
> Here's a reference from 1866:
>
> https://books.google.com/books?id=yhoFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA76
>
> The author calls it "This familiar trick, which perhaps every reader
> has practiced as a child."

Google NGrams seems to think that "fall like dominoes" dates back nearly
as far, but I am unable to trick it into yielding an actual quote or
citation. "Domino effect" has a blip even earlier, in the 1820s.

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=domino+effect%2Cfall+like+dominoes&year_start=1800&year_end=1960&corpus=en-2019&smoothing=3

Phil
--
We are no longer hunters and nomads. No longer awed and frightened, as we have
gained some understanding of the world in which we live. As such, we can cast
aside childish remnants from the dawn of our civilization.
-- NotSanguine on SoylentNews, after Eugen Weber in /The Western Tradition/