Fun with phrases: "in a previous life"

[Laurence Horn]

On Jul 17, 2012, at 2:25 PM, George Thompson wrote:

> I use the phrase myself on occasion, not supposing that I am being
> uproariously funny, but wryly indicating a phase of my life that is now
> completely over, and none too soon, either.
>
> GAT

And if "that was (in) a previous avatar/incarnation/life" doesn't work, there's always the old reliable "that was in another country, and besides, the wench is dead."  (mutatis mutandis)


LH
>
> On Tue, Jul 17, 2012 at 4:22 AM, W Brewer <brewerwa at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> When I was a student, I worked as night watchman at construction sites.
>> That was a previous avatar.
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
>
>
> --
> George A. Thompson
> Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern
> Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much since then.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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