Spud farmers want 'couch potato' stripped from dictionary

[Ishmal]

What does the general TFP think of this???

Spud farmers want 'couch potato' stripped from dictionary

Associated Press
Jun. 21, 2005 08:00 AM

LONDON - British potato farmers are getting steamed over the use of the term "couch potato."

A group of about 30 farmers demonstrated outside Parliament Monday to publicize their bid to remove the term from the Oxford English Dictionary, arguing that the description of slothful TV addicts harms the tuber's image.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the term "couch potato" as "a person who spends leisure time passively or idly sitting around, especially watching television or video tapes." advertisement




The British Potato Council says the phrase makes the vegetable seem unhealthy. It wants the expression stripped from the dictionary and replaced in everyday speech with the term "couch slouch."

"The potato industry are fed up with the disservice that 'couch potato' does to our product when we have an inherently healthy product," said Kathryn Race, head of marketing at the British Potato Council.

John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, said the expression first appeared in the 1993 edition.

"Inclusion is based on currency of the term rather than on the basis of what people want us to put in the dictionary," he said. "When people blame words they are actually blaming the society that uses them."

i personally think its a load of B/S...

i don't think of potatos being unhealthy just because a popular term is "couch potato"

[Ishmal]

sorry,

forgot the link

[ngdawg]

Oh, Gimme a break, already......
Next the carpenter's unions will want 'hammer toe' stricken from medical books.

[Borgs]

I'm sure that removing the term from the Oxford English Dictionary will get people to stop using it

[Nisses]

well, look at it this way, it's a whole of 30 farmers.

Not like there was a real protest or anything. Just 2 or 3 weirdo people that got some friends mobilised...

I guess they thought it could be a fun day out

[flat5]

My first thought was they are as dumb as a potato.

Then I realized it's free publicity for the industry.

[streak_56]

Hooray for whiney people.

I can see their point of view, even though it is not well thought out. But obviously someone is offended by it.

[ubertuber]

So, if they don't like a word in the English Heritage Dictionary, why are they protesting outside of Parliament? Seems like they ought to take their stupid complaint to the publishing company, where they'll be told that common usage rules the day.

[StanT]

Ya think sanitation workers would be offended if I called these farmers dumb shits.

[look-out]

Even if they somehow manage to get the term removed from the dictonary people arre still going to use it. It's a good phrase and it's not going to go away.

Great hype, well conducted - The British Potato Council (a PR firm tasked with promoting potatos - that should be your first clue right there) has managed to bring the issue of potatos to front pages, internet forums and over-coffee conversations everywhere. I say congratulations to them for a well thought-out and cleverly carried out piece of media manipulation.

Just ask yourself, it it was your job to get potatos in the news, how would you do it?

[thejoker130]

................

I have officially heard it all

If they get it I want off...the world...right now