Talk:Red herring

Very rough outline:

Red herring - General definition of the term as a plot device

Etymology - Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (R 803 Br): "A deliberate or sometimes unintentional diversion, which distracts from a line of enquiry or a topic under discussion. A red herring (i.e. one dried, smoked, and salted) drawn across a fox's path destroys the scent and faults the hounds".

Early example of phrase being used in sense of "plot device" if possible.

Example from Detective_fiction

Possibly an example of a visual red herring from film?

Benjamin Breakstone 19:05, 30 March 2008 (CDT)

Disambiguation?

Red herring (U.S. securities regulation) A preliminary registration statement that must be filed with the SEC describing a new issue of stock and the prospects of the issuing company.

Red herring (Scandinavian buffet) A small fish of the genus Clupea marinated in tomato sauce

Red herring (toxicology) A small fish of the genus Clupea that died of the Red Tide

Red Herring (publishing) a U.S. magazine and website about investing, emphasizing new technology.

Red herring (forensic icthyology) a frozen block of fish of the genus Clupea that was used to bludgeon the victim, and was thawed and served to the investigating detctives

Howard C. Berkowitz 21:27, 25 May 2008 (CDT)