Hello,
The following phrase from the NY Times caught my attention
"the management team . . . often work[s] together to package movie ideas and shop screenplays for their stable of talent."
It started me wondering when "shop" (which the dictionaries generally define as meaning "to buy") acquired the new meaning "to sell." The 1997 Random House dictionary that we can use through Alphadictionary includes this meaning.
A few of the other dictionaries include this meaning, but they are undated. And most do not include this sense, which suggests it is not widespread. Does anyone have any early examples?
This usage also seems to be an Americanism. Does anyone have examples from other dialects of English?
Lexically yours,
"Shop" as a transitive verb meaning "offer fo
-
- Great Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 2578
- Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:56 pm
- Location: Crownsville, MD
I think is comes from the phrase "shop around."
It's analagous to a buyer who shops around looking for the best price (the lowest), only here the seller is looking for what he considers the best price (the highest).The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
. . .
VERB: Inflected forms: shopped, shop·ping, shops
INTRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To visit stores in search of merchandise or bargains. . . .
PHRASAL VERB: shop around
1. To go from store to store in search of merchandise or bargains.
2. To look for something, such as a better job.
3. To offer (a large block of common stock, for example) for sale to various parties: “[The company] is now actively being shopped around, with a prospectus in circulation” (Marianne Yen).
. . .
Regards//Larry
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
Out of context, this quote sounds more to me like they are shopping for talent... in other words, looking for actors who can fill the available roles in their own projects by watching other directors' screenplays....to package movie ideas and shop screenplays for their stable of talent.
At least that's the way I read it.
-Tim
Thank you for your comments.
As I said, I'd like to know when this sense ("to offer for sale") came into use for shop. Although several of the dictionaries on the internet include this sense, the earliest dated one I could find was 1998. (The American Heritage cited above is 2000) And at least one of the dictionaries giving this sense stated that it is an Americanism, so I'd be interested to know whether this sense is in use in other dialects of English.
Finally, the full context of the article makes it clear that the agency has directors, actors etc. and that they were "shopping" these packages around. Sorry I can't post a link to the NY Times article.
Cheers,
As I said, I'd like to know when this sense ("to offer for sale") came into use for shop. Although several of the dictionaries on the internet include this sense, the earliest dated one I could find was 1998. (The American Heritage cited above is 2000) And at least one of the dictionaries giving this sense stated that it is an Americanism, so I'd be interested to know whether this sense is in use in other dialects of English.
Finally, the full context of the article makes it clear that the agency has directors, actors etc. and that they were "shopping" these packages around. Sorry I can't post a link to the NY Times article.
Cheers,
Well, I can...
New York Times - High Price of Comedy: Fox Just Says No
Maybe it's just me.
-Tim
New York Times - High Price of Comedy: Fox Just Says No
I still don't read that phrase as offer for sale. I read it as checking out screenplays to see who is in them and who they can use in their own projects.The rise of a new network of comic stars who write, act in, direct and produce one another's projects — also including Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Steve Carrell, Will Ferrell, Jack Black as well as the directors Tom Shadyac and David Dobkin — has given them a power uncommon in the industry.
Many of those stars are represented by the management team of Jimmy Miller and Eric Gold at Mosaic Media, and the agent Nick Stevens at United Talent Agency, who often work together to package movie ideas and shop screenplays for their stable of talent. The three rarely speak to the press.
Maybe it's just me.
-Tim
Is 1688 sufficiently far back to make this not a new meaning?
Shop(v.) 1688, "to bring something to a shop, to expose for sale," from shop (n.).
Shop(v.) 1688, "to bring something to a shop, to expose for sale," from shop (n.).
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous
Anonymous
-
- Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 1476
- Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:58 pm
- Location: Carolinia Agrestícia: The Forest Primeval
Perry's citation of the OED derivation is illuminating. But shop has been used in our time traditonally to mean the act of seeking rather than selling goods. The same OED reference notes "The meaning to visit shops is first attested 1764. Shop around is from 1922." so we turned the meaning around some two and a half centuries ago and then abandoned the original.
But since the definition of seeking is our traditional usage, I submit that the present shop-as-sell is another case of the modern hack-speak device of turning a verb inside-out, as in "a plan to grow (sic) the company". In this theory it's purely coincidental that the modern perversion matches the original.
But since the definition of seeking is our traditional usage, I submit that the present shop-as-sell is another case of the modern hack-speak device of turning a verb inside-out, as in "a plan to grow (sic) the company". In this theory it's purely coincidental that the modern perversion matches the original.
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
-
- Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 1476
- Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:58 pm
- Location: Carolinia Agrestícia: The Forest Primeval
Youse guise are da bomb. Yeah, that's my favourite palidrome although I did enjoy Tim's link, even garnered some new faves like As I pee, sir, I see Pisa! and Mr. Owl ate my metal worm but didn't see the old chestnut Rise, Sir Lapdog! God, pal -rise, sir! among others.Aha... try this link.
I think I chose my epitaph: "I madam, I made radio! I dared! Am I mad? Am I??".
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
-
- Great Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 2578
- Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:56 pm
- Location: Crownsville, MD
This site has been a real Boone to me.
A night without amour in a savage land.Have Pun Will Travel
XXXXXWire Palindrome
XXXXXXSan Francisco
Regards//Larry
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests