FW: May you live in interesting times

Joseph Carson samizdata at EARTHLINK.NET
Fri May 12 00:15:50 UTC 2000


I have no proof of it except the fact of my own Scottish background that the
phrase as precisely stated in the forward below originated in Scotland some
indefinitely distant time past, and was used frequently enough by family members
(cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., but not any further beyond this particular circle
of relatives than I recall offhand) for me to never feel a need to question it.
Anecdotal yes, but FWIW, Unverifiably yours, Joseph Carson

Benjamin Barrett wrote: From the Chinese (Kenyon) list.
Benjamin Barrett - gogaku at ix.netcom.com  ---Original Message--- From:
owner-chinese at kenyon.edu, --- On Behalf Of Ho, Yong --- Sent: Thursday, May 11,
2000 06:56 --- To: chinese at kenyon.edu --- Subject: May you live in interesting
times: "Dear Colleagues: I received a request from the Lehrer/McNeil Newshour to
verify the Chinese version of the proverb translated into English as "may you
live in interesting times". McNeil was told that this was an ancient Chinese
curse. I couldn't think of any Chinese proverb that says anything to that
effect. ... <snip> ... Thank you. - Yong Ho"



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