Timeline for "Cheaper by the dozen" phrase origin?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
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| Feb 20, 2019 at 9:04 | history | edited | JEL | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Feb 20, 2019 at 8:18 | history | edited | JEL | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Feb 19, 2019 at 14:48 | comment | added | user3067860 | Per the book "Cheaper by the Dozen", the title of the book comes from the father in the book using the phrase (when the authors were children). It's pretty clear that by that point in time it was already a set phrase, not the father's creation. (In case anyone is wondering--the father would identify the nationality of a shopkeeper or service provider, and ask "do my little <same nationality, e.g. Irishmen> come cheaper by the dozen?" to inspire the shop keeper/service provider to give a discount by claiming to be of the same nationality as them.) | |
| Feb 19, 2019 at 7:28 | comment | added | Peter Cordes | @JimmyJames: guest271314 has posted an answer on this question where they explain that "prisoner of war" is the way they're describing slaves on plantations in the US. They didn't make a strong claim for first-generation "severe birth defects" this time. Anyway, in its current state the answer isn't very convincing, but at least they quote a source. | |
| Feb 19, 2019 at 6:05 | history | edited | JEL | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Feb 18, 2019 at 22:44 | comment | added | JimmyJames | "the story itself betrays ignorance or disregard of genetic principles by ascribing "severe birth defects" to a single generation of inbreeding." That's the least of it. In what war were the mothers' of prisoners at hand, on a plantation no less. And how would this action result in a dozen children and what makes them cheaper? Cheaper in the value to the plantation owner? What advantage would that give? | |
| Feb 18, 2019 at 19:55 | history | edited | JEL | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Feb 18, 2019 at 19:28 | history | edited | JEL | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Feb 18, 2019 at 18:51 | history | answered | JEL | CC BY-SA 4.0 |