Results: in general, Americans seem not to have heard "gongshow" used that way, but think they would have understood it in context.
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@avibryant It sounds enough like shitshow that I'd probably recognize it in context. -
@d6@avibryant this is surprising, I thought the etymology was from an american tv game show where a gong was rung. I may have made that up. -
@aaronmblevin@d6 that's absolutely the etymology. I'm surprised for the same reason.
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@avibryant I think the American version would be "shitshow." -
@yeahphil yeah, probably, but that doesn't necessarily convey the detached amusement about the situation. Which is maybe a Canadian thing.
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@avibryant Although now they're changing nouns into verbs! They clearly didn't follow obvious learnings or respond to our ask. -
@amyjennifen verbing is the worst. -
@avibryant Et comment. Like literal translation, ca suce.
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@avibryant Heard it pre-Van but the prevalence here (like Bryan Adams on the radio) marks it as total CanadianismThanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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@avibryant I'm familiar with what a gong show is, but not the term as you describe it (recent chat with@snoble about the topic excluded) - 1 more reply
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@avibryant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gong_Show … was on American TV so long ago that most of your followers probably never heard of it...Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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@avibryant we would more likely call it a clusterf-ck if it's being managed, make a keystone cops reference, or say chinese fire drill.Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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@avibryant Not a universal Canadianism, we didn't have that usage growing up in Ontario in the 60s/70s. Only know it as a TV gameshow. -
@finitor@avibryant Nor in Quebec in the 80s/90s. I think it's a west coast expression. See also: piggy in the middle.
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@avibryant I think it has more to do with age then nationalityThanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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@avibryant Never heard it used that way, but I probably would have been able to figure out the meaning in context.Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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@avibryant good point, shitshow implies a certain level of personal investment/disgust.Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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@avibryant Not exactly, I think of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gong_Show …Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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