semantic drif t: "scream"

James Harbeck jharbeck at SYMPATICO.CA
Sun Oct 14 22:56:58 UTC 2007


>So "Scream, Blacula, Scream" implies no more horror than "Speak,
>Blacula, Speak"?
>   I stand corrected, but you guys must find poetry to be unusually challenging

An interesting contention, given that an understanding of poetry
typically requires  knowledge and understanding of all the possible
nuances and connotations of a given word. I would think that a
refusal to accept certain meanings that are in use would make poetry
more of a challenge.

The use of "scream" you cite is fairly common in the parts of the
continent I've lived in. No horror is required. It often has somewhat
camp overtones, though.

James Harbeck.

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list