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Conference thebay::joyoflex

Title:The Joy of Lex
Notice:A Notes File even your grammar could love
Moderator:THEBAY::SYSTEM
Created:Fri Feb 28 1986
Last Modified:Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1192
Total number of notes:42769

531.0. "Running dog" by ERIS::CALLAS (Waiter, there's a bug in my code) Thu Jun 09 1988 21:08

    Does anyone know the etymology of the expression "running dog" as in
    "capitalist running dogs of the toilet paper-eating masses"? 
    
    I'm playing a Marxist English professor in a mystery and would like to
    know. 
    
    	Jon
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531.1Get the little RED book.SKIVT::ROGERSLasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrateThu Jun 09 1988 21:304
Don't remember the exact phrasing, but it came from the quotaions of Chairman 
Mao.  I'll see if I've still got my copy.

Le Chinois�
531.2how sadPSTJTT::TABERTouch-sensitive software engineeringThu Jun 09 1988 22:544
>    I'm playing a Marxist English professor in a mystery and would like to
>    know. 
    
Detection is the opiate of the Marxists, huh?
531.3not latchkeyDOODAH::RANDALLBonnie Randall SchutzmanThu Jun 09 1988 23:293
    Isn't it "running dog lackey"?
    
    --bonnie
531.4you have to get these things straight (no chaser)MARKER::KALLISDon't confuse `want' and `need.'Fri Jun 10 1988 00:0015
    Re .2 (PStJTT):
    
>Detection is the opiate of the Marxists, huh?

    More like "quotation."
                                      
    Re .3 (Bonnie):
    
    No, the running dogs of Capitalism are so into money that all their
    parents had jobs, and they grew up as latchkey children.  Thus,
    latchkey adults, or Latchkeys.
    
    Simple, really.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.   
531.5ERIS::CALLASWaiter, there's a bug in my codeFri Jun 10 1988 00:325
    re .2:
    
    	"Detection is the opiate of the Marxists, huh?"
    
    Perhaps. Maybe the Marxist will get to detect some opiates.
531.6ERIS::CALLASWaiter, there's a bug in my codeFri Jun 10 1988 00:403
    re .3:
    
    Thank you, Bonnie, it *is* running dog lackey.
531.7MaoMARVIN::KNOWLESDanger was this man's specialityFri Jun 10 1988 18:3612
    I'm sure .1 is right. The expression `running dog' translates a
    phrase or word Mao used, so that's how it found it's way into
    English - especially the English of Maoist professors.
    
    There is a possibility that the word/phrase in Mao's Chinese
    existed before he used it; or maybe that language makes it
    possible to stuff a word and an epithet into one word -
    so maybe `running dog' and `paper tiger' aren't as odd
    as they sound (to my ear, anyway). We need someone who
    speaks Chinese.
    
    b
531.8MYCRFT::PARODIJohn H. ParodiFri Jun 10 1988 19:497
  Every time I've seen the phrase 'running dog lackey,' it was followed
  by 'of imperialist capitalist swine.'

  Hope this helps,

  JP
531.9lacking the keyDOODAH::RANDALLBonnie Randall SchutzmanFri Jun 10 1988 21:2811
    According to Webster's Ninth Collegiate, "running dog" showed up
    in 1927, no origin origin specified.

    Meaning:  "one who does someone else's bidding: lackey."
    
    So a running dog lackey is somewhat redundant.  
    
    On the other hand, a Marxist professor throwing around language
    like this is also somewhat redundant, so perhaps it fits.
    
    --bonnie
531.10you want power lackyhood ...ERASER::KALLISDon't confuse `want' and `need.'Fri Jun 10 1988 21:509
    Re .9 (Bonnie):
    
    >So a running dog lackey is somewhat redundant.  
    
    No, it means someone who will do theb bidding of a running dog.
    
    Sort of a toady's toady.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
531.11I think I see nowDOODAH::RANDALLBonnie Randall SchutzmanFri Jun 10 1988 22:017
    re: .10
    
    I can't say what enlightenment came over me when I read your
    description, because I would certainly offend members of the
    management group that came to mind . . .
    
    --bonnie
531.12dog packDANUBE::B_REINKEwhere the sidewalk endsFri Jun 10 1988 22:366
    in re .10 Bonnie (giggle)
    
    also the mental image I had of running dog(s) was of a pack
    of hounds that would fawn and slaver all over their master.
    
    Bonnie
531.13I'm no etymologistABSZK::SZETOSimon Szeto, Asian Base Systems @ZKOTue Jul 26 1988 01:4919
    "Running dog" is a literal translation from the Chinese expression.
    (The expression consists of two characters: first one meaning "run"
    or "running" since it's an adjective in this case, and the second
    meaning "dog.")  I'm not sure of the derivation of the expression.
    My impression is that it is more typical of Northern Chinese dialect 
    than Southern, although by this time the origin hardly matters. 
    
    Offhand I can't tell you (without doing some research in Yenching
    Library, for example) how old the expression "running dog" really
    is.  I suspect that it has been in the vernacular for quite some
    time.

    When I was in elementary school the Korean War was on.  The epithet
    "Yankee Imperialist running dog" was synonymous with "American,"
    (usually in reference to soldiers) in the leftist Chinese papers,
    and even comic books.

  --Simon