What the heck is a quango? Not having immediate access to Diarmaid (I remember my spelling with diary-maid without the y) MacCulloch (also a tricky one), who uses it in the 9/10/10 Times Lit Supplement as something “set up” to do something. A group. It’s a collective noun, and a new one for me.
Oh yes. What do it mean?
–noun, plural -gos.
(esp. in Great Britain) a semi-public advisory and administrative body supported by the government and having most of its members appointed by the government.
Origin:
1975–80; qu ( asi ) -a ( utonomous ) n ( on- ) g ( overnmental ) o ( rganization ) or qu ( asi ) -a ( utonomous ) n ( ational ) g ( overnmental ) o ( rganization )
says Dictionary.com.
It’s an acronym, what do you know? Quasi autonomous (national) governmental organization.
Clever, these English people, though I’m not sure The MacCulloch would appreciate my calling him one of those.
Blithe Spirit 