Martha,

I'm not sure that the term has anything to do with
domestic violence.  Of course, I'm putting my entire
faith into the OED entry, which describes the
expression as a method derived from practice rather
than science.  The OED has no quotation from English
law that relates to domestic violence, although we can
be sure there would be such a quotation if "rule of
thumb" did, indeed, derive from the size of the stick
used for beating wives.

However, in answer to your question, I think you and
your co-author should leave the expression in the text
unless you discover that English common law does use
the expression to prescribe the limits and methods for
domestic violence.  The expression has worked well
since at least 1692.

Bill Bolin

--- Martha Kolln <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> A reader of "Understanding English Grammar'" has
> asked Bob Funk, my
> co-author, and me to delete all references to "rules
> of thumb" in our
> book.  It came as a surprise to both of us that the
> term was
> offensive.  It turns out, however, that the
> so-called rule has its
> origin in the size of the stick that a husband could
> use when he beat
> his wife!  I'm not sure how long ago that rule
> applied in  its
> original state; and I'm also not convinced that
> anyone using the term
> makes that connection.  I do see the term frequently
> in books like
> ours.
>
> I'd appreciate any opinions as to the merits of this
> objection.
>
> Martha
>
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