OT: jerry and jury

[Michael Norman michael.norman@xxxxxxxx]

Thanks, Patricia. Jerry-built begins to describe the way I'm feeling
these days. And jury-rigged reminds me to get busy on some syllabi.

Michael Norman

At 02:47 PM 1/7/2009, Patricia wrote:
> To jerry-build (probably from the given name Jerry) is to build
> unsubstantial structures of shoddy materials, usually on
> speculation. The classic examples would be the insulae of ancient
> Rome or the tenements of the Lower East Side in the late 19th and
> early 20th centuries.
> To jury-rig is to improvise a part on a ship to replace one that has
> broken or carried away. Its soundness would depend on circumstances,
> material available, and the skill of the ship's carpenter, but would
> always be done as well as possible, as the ship and her crew's life
> would depend on it.