The meaning of the term “Chinese wall” is clear. It’s a virtual partition meant to keep potentially conflicted interests apart: a private partition meant to keep interests apart, even if what’s happening on both sides is obvious to the other.
What’s not clear, at least to me, is where the term came from. Wikipedia’s Chinese wall article doesn’t say that. I recall “Chinese wall” meaning a thin one: You can hear what’s happening on the other side, but can pretend not to notice. Still, not good enough. So I’m hoping one of you can point me to a source I can cite in the book I’m writing.
And if you’re wondering why I’m posting less these days, it’s because my nose is on the book’s grindstone.
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