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Late
Mar 14, 2009 21:55:31 GMT
Post by palesa on Mar 14, 2009 21:55:31 GMT
Brian often asked where the phrase "my late husband" came from and how long is someone late.
Now I find it important to know hte answer, anyone?
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Late
Mar 14, 2009 22:18:36 GMT
Post by spindrift on Mar 14, 2009 22:18:36 GMT
That's a good question. I don't know the answer.
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Late
Mar 14, 2009 22:19:55 GMT
Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2009 22:19:55 GMT
I was looking around but I did not find a satisfactory concise reply.
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Late
Mar 14, 2009 22:55:21 GMT
Post by bixaorellana on Mar 14, 2009 22:55:21 GMT
Brian, as a Monty Python fan, would have enjoyed this reply. It is on the level, but smacks of the Pythonian send-ups of pompous educators: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Oxford English Dictionary's earliest example of "late" meaning recently deceased is dated 1490. "Late" as an adjective meaning "recent but not continuing to the present" is similar, but the OED's first citation for it is from approx. 1548, so this sense may not have given rise to the "recently deceased" one. The OED says this latter sense of "late" apparently developed from an adverbial use, defined as "Not long since (but not now); recently (but no longer)." Its first quotation for "late" as an adverb in this sense is "John the monke late cardynal of Rome" (1474). "The Hendersons will all be there, late of Pablo Fanques' fair, what a scene!" (Beatles) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- above from The Phrase Finder
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Late
Mar 15, 2009 7:16:14 GMT
Post by palesa on Mar 15, 2009 7:16:14 GMT
Yes Bix! Thank you
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