lonely vs. lonesome?

[Laurence Horn]

At 11:04 AM -0400 8/26/02, Dennis R. Preston wrote:
>I have a tendency to use lonely with +human ("I'm just lonely boy")
>and lonesome with -human ("I heard that lonesome whistle blow") to
>cite from songs, as folk seem to like to do these days.
>
>The restriction on "lonely" with -human is strongest; for me, a
>"lonely whistle" is one longing for company (unlikely); a "lonesome
>whistle" is one which evokes lonely feelings in its listeners (like a
>"lonesome sight" does in its viewers, etc...).
>
>dInIs
>
I'm sure Elvis's "Are you lonesome tonight?" was not sung to a
whistle or light...

Are you lonesome tonight,
do you miss me tonight?
Are you sorry we drifted apart?
Does your memory stray to a brighter sunny day
When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?

There was also the "Lonesome End" (a split end, but not the sort in
your hair) in the history of football.  Anyone have the details handy?

I've always thought "lonesome" was "lonely" with an emotive quotient
added in, but maybe that's JUST when it applies to the +human set.  I
know Bolinger talks about the difference somewhere, probably in
_Aspects of Language_ where he's doing his plug for his
there-ain't-no-true-synonymy line.

larry