[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: "red herring"

[kemper mentor]

Ok JC,
I was at my local Powell's bookstore and looked up 'red herring' in their compressed OED in two volumes, where four pages are printed on one page so obviously the print was a bit wee.  It list 'red herring' 'to attempt to divert attention from the real question' first be used in this way in 1686, well before Doyle.  The quote they have is "to draw a red herring across the track. --cf quot. 1686 in Ib'
My understanding after reading up a bit on 'red herring' is that red herring was used to train dogs to track a scent of game or people.  Those evading capture would use red herring--smoked herring-- to throw off the hounds.
I hope you find this a satisfying response to your query.
 

 


		
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