Fwd: another SOTA or two (and The Good Wife)

[Laurence Horn]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Hunter, Lynne R CIV SPAWARSYSCEN-PACIFIC, 71700" <lynne.hunter at NAVY.MIL>
> Date: April 25, 2012 2:23:46 PM EDT
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: another SOTA or two (and The Good Wife)
> Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
> Of Laurence Horn
> Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 5:20 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: another SOTA or two
> 
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
>              American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      another SOTA or two
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -------
> 
> 
> A much smaller and discreet SOTA:  in the equally literate "The Good
> Wife" on CBS this week, a well-spoken (and, of course, sexy) lawyer
> explains that she's interested in leaving her current job at a large
> firm because "There are too fifedoms" there.  (Rhymes with "wifedom".)
> 
> Lots of parades, I'm thinking. 
> 
> ...
> 
> LH
> 
> Noticed the "fifedom," too--surely the innovation of the actor, not the
> Kings. (But can you blame her?  "Fifedom" has such an erudite ring
> compared to the humble "fiefdom.")

My "too fifedoms" was an error of my own.  What she said was "too many fifedoms."  But yes, I assume the actor made the mistake, but also the director, who certainly could have informed her that even on "The Good Wife", "fief" rhymes with "thief", and done a second take.  

> 
> Also interesting how the judge who was on trial spoke on two or three
> occasions of a "desert island" but later switched to (more recent
> vintage?) "deserted island."
> 
> Lynne Hunter


Yes, I noticed that too.  Curious.

LH
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