British potato farmers were angry and wanted the expression "couch potato" to be taken out of the dictionary because it harmed the vegetable's image.
British
potato
farmers
were
angry
and
wanted
the
expression
``
couch
potato
''
to
be
taken
out
of
the
dictionary
because
it
harmed
the
vegetable
's
image
.
The British Potato Council wants the Oxford English Dictionary to replace the expression with the term "couch slouch", with protests being outside Parliament in London and the offices of Oxford University Press.
The
British
Potato
Council
wants
the
Oxford
English
Dictionary
to
replace
the
expression
with
the
term
``
couch
slouch
''
,
with
protests
being
outside
Parliament
in
London
and
the
offices
of
Oxford
University
Press
.
Kathryn Race, head of marketing at the Council, which represents some 4,000 planters and processors, said the group had complained in writing to the OED but had yet to receive a response.
Kathryn
Race
,
head
of
marketing
at
the
Council
,
which
represents
some
4,000
planters
and
processors
,
said
the
group
had
complained
in
writing
to
the
OED
but
had
yet
to
receive
a
response
.
"We are trying to get rid of the image that potatoes are bad for you," she said on Monday.
``
We
are
trying
to
get
rid
of
the
image
that
potatoes
are
bad
for
you
,
''
she
said
on
Monday
.
"The potato has had its knocks in the past.
``
The
potato
has
had
its
knocks
in
the
past
.
Of course it is not the Oxford English Dictionary's fault but we want to use another term instead of" couch potato "because potatoes are naturally healthy."
Of
course
it
is
not
the
Oxford
English
Dictionary
's
fault
but
we
want
to
use
another
term
instead
of
''
couch
potato
``
because
potatoes
are
naturally
healthy
.
''
The OED says that "couch potato" began as American slang, meaning "a person who spends his or her leisure time sitting around, especially watching television or video tapes."
The
OED
says
that
``
couch
potato
''
began
as
American
slang
,
meaning
``
a
person
who
spends
his
or
her
leisure
time
sitting
around
,
especially
watching
television
or
video
tapes
.
''
The Potato Council says its campaign is backed by dieticians who say the vegetable is low in fat and high in vitamin C.
The
Potato
Council
says
its
campaign
is
backed
by
dieticians
who
say
the
vegetable
is
low
in
fat
and
high
in
vitamin
C
.
Supporting the campaign, famous cook Antony Worrall Thompson said the vegetable was one of Britain's favorite foods.
Supporting
the
campaign
,
famous
cook
Antony
Worrall
Thompson
said
the
vegetable
was
one
of
Britain
's
favorite
foods
.
"Not only are they healthy, they are also convenient and yummy.
``
Not
only
are
they
healthy
,
they
are
also
convenient
and
yummy
.
Life without potato is like a sandwich without a filling," he said.
Life
without
potato
is
like
a
sandwich
without
a
filling
,
''
he
said
.
John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, said the dictionary first included the term "couch potato" in 1993 and said "dictionaries just reflect the words that society uses."
John
Simpson
,
chief
editor
of
the
Oxford
English
Dictionary
,
said
the
dictionary
first
included
the
term
``
couch
potato
''
in
1993
and
said
``
dictionaries
just
reflect
the
words
that
society
uses
.
''
Simpson said words were never taken out of the full-length dictionary, which includes some 650,000 words in 20 volumes.
Simpson
said
words
were
never
taken
out
of
the
full-length
dictionary
,
which
includes
some
650,000
words
in
20
volumes
.
But little-used words can be removed from the smaller dictionaries to make way for newer ones.
But
little-used
words
can
be
removed
from
the
smaller
dictionaries
to
make
way
for
newer
ones
.
"If society stops using words then they get taken out of the smaller dictionaries," he added.
``
If
society
stops
using
words
then
they
get
taken
out
of
the
smaller
dictionaries
,
''
he
added
.
The first known recorded use of the expression "couch potato" was in an article in Los Angeles Times, in 1979, Simpson said.
The
first
known
recorded
use
of
the
expression
``
couch
potato
''
was
in
an
article
in
Los
Angeles
Times
,
in
1979
,
Simpson
said
.
Nigel Evans, a member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, has made a motion in support of the campaign, highlighting the nutritional value of the British potato.
Nigel
Evans
,
a
member
of
Parliament
for
the
Ribble
Valley
in
Lancashire
,
has
made
a
motion
in
support
of
the
campaign
,
highlighting
the
nutritional
value
of
the
British
potato
.
British potato farmers were angry and wanted the expression "couch potato" to be taken out of the dictionary because it harmed the vegetable's image.  The British Potato Council wants the Oxford English Dictionary to replace the expression with the term "couch slouch", with protests being outside Parliament in London and the offices of Oxford University Press.  Kathryn Race, head of marketing at the Council, which represents some 4,000 planters and processors, said the group had complained in writing to the OED but had yet to receive a response.  "We are trying to get rid of the image that potatoes are bad for you," she said on Monday.  "The potato has had its knocks in the past. Of course it is not the Oxford English Dictionary's fault but we want to use another term instead of" couch potato "because potatoes are naturally healthy."  The OED says that "couch potato" began as American slang, meaning "a person who spends his or her leisure time sitting around, especially watching television or video tapes."  The Potato Council says its campaign is backed by dieticians who say the vegetable is low in fat and high in vitamin C.  Supporting the campaign, famous cook Antony Worrall Thompson said the vegetable was one of Britain's favorite foods.  "Not only are they healthy, they are also convenient and yummy. Life without potato is like a sandwich without a filling," he said.  John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, said the dictionary first included the term "couch potato" in 1993 and said "dictionaries just reflect the words that society uses."  Simpson said words were never taken out of the full-length dictionary, which includes some 650,000 words in 20 volumes.  But little-used words can be removed from the smaller dictionaries to make way for newer ones.  "If society stops using words then they get taken out of the smaller dictionaries," he added.  The first known recorded use of the expression "couch potato" was in an article in Los Angeles Times, in 1979, Simpson said.  Nigel Evans, a member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, has made a motion in support of the campaign, highlighting the nutritional value of the British potato.