I distinctly remember a Mork and Mindy episode where Mork exclaimed that he was waiting "..... with worms on tongue...." which threw Mindy for a loop. When questioned about what he meant, Mork said, "....... what you Earthlings call waiting with baited breath....". That has stuck with me all of these years..... Mary ----- Original Message ----- From: Ron Vuxta To: padutch-life@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 3:24 PM Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] With Baited and Bated Breath Richard, I also believe there are some who either wittingly or unwittingly have added to the mis-spelling by paraphrasing the saying to "with bait for breath" which describes some people we all know. Ron Vuxta Fallon, Nevada -----Original Message----- From: padutch-life-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:padutch-life-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Richard Emlin Reed Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 8:08 AM To: padutch-life@rootsweb.com Subject: [PD-LIFE] With Baited and Bated Breath We have quite a few words and expressions which are mis-spelled so often that the incorrect version becomes the accepted one. One such is "with baited breath". We are all familiar with the word "abate" which means to reduce in amount or intensity, to moderate. "Bate" is a contraction of "abate" through a process called aphesis, loss of the unstressed first vowel; but it has the same meaning. Abated, or bated, breath occurs when one holds one's breath as a result of being startled, anxious, or frightened; as in "You took my breath away", meaning "you frightened me". The expression has come to mean a state of anticipation. Instead of being short of breath unexpectedly, one anticipates the condition. And, to compound the error, those unfamiliar with "bate" but familiar with "bait" have also changed the spelling. In reality, nobody who uses the idiom is short of breath. It is simply an expression used to stress one's emotions. Instead of just saying, "I await your arrival"; we add "with bated breath" to indicate that we are really anxious to see you. For an example of the correct use of "with baited breath" we must read Geoffrey Taylor's verse in his poem Cruel Clever Cat: Sally, having swallowed cheese, Directs down holes the scented breeze, Enticing thus with baited breath Nice mice to an untimely death. Richard Emlin Reed Wesley Chapel, FL ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Oh goodness!!! I remember that now that you mentioned it. Mom and I watched that show faithfully!!! What a riot! Oh, if you like the show Perfect Strangers, please go to the site where you vote for what people want on DVD. I have been waiting for them to come out with this series on DVD for a long time, and can't wait until they get enough requests for it. I think you just check it off, or something like that. I don't really know, because Mike did it for me, when he was ordering his next season of Hogan's Heroes. Thanks! Lynn ----- Original Message ----- From: marysaerie To: padutch-life@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 3:33 PM Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] With Baited and Bated Breath I distinctly remember a Mork and Mindy episode where Mork exclaimed that he was waiting "..... with worms on tongue...." which threw Mindy for a loop. When questioned about what he meant, Mork said, "....... what you Earthlings call waiting with baited breath....". That has stuck with me all of these years..... Mary ----- Original Message ----- From: Ron Vuxta To: padutch-life@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 3:24 PM Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] With Baited and Bated Breath Richard, I also believe there are some who either wittingly or unwittingly have added to the mis-spelling by paraphrasing the saying to "with bait for breath" which describes some people we all know. Ron Vuxta Fallon, Nevada -----Original Message----- From: padutch-life-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:padutch-life-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Richard Emlin Reed Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 8:08 AM To: padutch-life@rootsweb.com Subject: [PD-LIFE] With Baited and Bated Breath We have quite a few words and expressions which are mis-spelled so often that the incorrect version becomes the accepted one. One such is "with baited breath". We are all familiar with the word "abate" which means to reduce in amount or intensity, to moderate. "Bate" is a contraction of "abate" through a process called aphesis, loss of the unstressed first vowel; but it has the same meaning. Abated, or bated, breath occurs when one holds one's breath as a result of being startled, anxious, or frightened; as in "You took my breath away", meaning "you frightened me". The expression has come to mean a state of anticipation. Instead of being short of breath unexpectedly, one anticipates the condition. And, to compound the error, those unfamiliar with "bate" but familiar with "bait" have also changed the spelling. In reality, nobody who uses the idiom is short of breath. It is simply an expression used to stress one's emotions. Instead of just saying, "I await your arrival"; we add "with bated breath" to indicate that we are really anxious to see you. For an example of the correct use of "with baited breath" we must read Geoffrey Taylor's verse in his poem Cruel Clever Cat: Sally, having swallowed cheese, Directs down holes the scented breeze, Enticing thus with baited breath Nice mice to an untimely death. Richard Emlin Reed Wesley Chapel, FL ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Yeah! And just think; the guy that wrote that inept script probably drew a six-figure salary. Richard Emlin Reed Wesley Chapel, FL ----- Original Message ----- From: "marysaerie" <marysaerie@stny.rr.com> To: <padutch-life@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 3:33 PM Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] With Baited and Bated Breath >I distinctly remember a Mork and Mindy episode where Mork exclaimed that he > was waiting "..... with worms on tongue...." which threw Mindy for a loop. > When > questioned about what he meant, Mork said, "....... what you Earthlings > call waiting > with baited breath....". That has stuck with me all of these years..... > > Mary > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Ron Vuxta > To: padutch-life@rootsweb.com > Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 3:24 PM > Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] With Baited and Bated Breath > > > Richard, > > I also believe there are some who either wittingly or unwittingly have > added > to the mis-spelling by paraphrasing the saying to "with bait for breath" > which describes some people we all know. > > > Ron Vuxta > Fallon, Nevada > > -----Original Message----- > From: padutch-life-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:padutch-life-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Richard Emlin > Reed > Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 8:08 AM > To: padutch-life@rootsweb.com > Subject: [PD-LIFE] With Baited and Bated Breath > > We have quite a few words and expressions which are mis-spelled so often > that the incorrect version becomes the accepted one. One such is "with > baited breath". We are all familiar with the word "abate" which means to > reduce in amount or intensity, to moderate. "Bate" is a contraction of > "abate" through a process called aphesis, loss of the unstressed first > vowel; but it has the same meaning. Abated, or bated, breath occurs when > one > holds one's breath as a result of being startled, anxious, or frightened; > as > in "You took my breath away", meaning "you frightened me". The expression > has come to mean a state of anticipation. Instead of being short of > breath > unexpectedly, one anticipates the condition. And, to compound the error, > those unfamiliar with "bate" but familiar with "bait" have also changed > the > spelling. In reality, nobody who uses the idiom is short of breath. It is > simply an expression used to stress one's emotions. Instead of just > saying, > "I await your arrival"; we add "with bated breath" to indicate that we > are > really anxious to see you. > > For an example of the correct use of "with baited breath" we must read > Geoffrey Taylor's verse in his poem Cruel Clever Cat: > Sally, having swallowed cheese, > Directs down holes the scented breeze, > Enticing thus with baited breath > Nice mice to an untimely death. > > Richard Emlin Reed > Wesley Chapel, FL