Friday, April 24, 2009

Ralph Keyes' Retroterm of the Day: stump speech.

European settlers noted that Indian leaders stood on stumps of downed trees to address members of their tribe. This made so much sense that they adopted the practice themselves. By the mid-nineteenth century it was common to refer to political “stump speeches,” and to campaigning in general as “stumping it.”

Reposted with permission: RalphKeyes.com

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