galiant effort

[Matthew Gordon]

Most of these examples indicate a variant pronunciation of 'gallant'. What
I'm suggesting for the examples of "a galiant effort" is that the word has
been reanalyzed and semantically is closer to 'valiant' than to 'gallant' or
maybe a semantic blend of the two.
I'm not too google savvy but you get many examples of "a galiant effort" and
few if any of "galiant" in other contexts which suggests to me that
'galiant' has come to substitute for 'valiant' and not for 'gallant'. In the
original example I noticed the commentator was describing an outfielder's
jump to try to catch a home-run ball as it went over the fence - that's more
valiant than gallant, isn't it? Actually I have weak intuitions about these
since both words are pretty rare for me and they have a lot of semantic
overlap. Also google shows a lot of "gallant efforts" as well as "valiant
efforts".


On 6/22/05 7:53 AM, "Paul Frank" <paulfrank at POST.HARVARD.EDU> wrote:

>> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
>> "Galliant" was a relatively common pronunciation in 19th C. ballads.
>
> While we're at it:
>
> 'Liar yourself, Cris,' said Lew, slipping an arm round her. 'I'm goin'. When
> the Reg'ment marches out you'll see me with 'em, all galliant and gay. Give
> us another kiss, Cris, on the strength of it.'
>         Rudyard Kipling, Under the Deodars ; the Phantom 'Rickshaw ; Wee
> Willie Winkie, Doubleday, Page & Company, 1918, p. 304.
>
> But the Kernul, when 'e 'eard of our galliant conduct, 'e sez: -- 'Hi know
> there's been some devilry somewheres,' sez 'e, 'but hi can't bring it 'ome
> to you three.'"
>         Rudyard Kipling, Plain Tales from the Hills, Bernhard Tauchnitz, p.
> 80.
>
> THE YOUNG INVINCIBLE. -- I sing of a Nincumpoop so galliant and gay (4 vs.
> and chor.)
>         Edwin Wolf 2nd, American Song Sheets, Slip Ballads and Poetical
> Broadsides, 1850-1870, Kraus Reprint Corp., 1963, p. 184.
>
> "Yes, and by all accounts 'tis true. And naterelly they'll be mowed down
> like grass; and you among'em, poor young galliant officer!"
>         Thomas Hardy, The Trumpet-Major, Oxford University Press, 1998, p.
> 54.
>
> Down at home here biding with his own folk a bit I zid en walking with them
> on the Esplanade yesterday. He looks ten years older than he did when he
> went. Ay--he brought the galliant hero home!
>         Thomas Hardy, The Dynasts: An Epic-Drama of the War with Napoleon,
> in Three Parts, Nineteen Acts, and One Hundred and Thirty Scenes, the Time
> Covered by the Action Being about Ten Years, Macmillan, 1920, p. 136.
>
> I'll sing you a song, not very long,
> But the story somewhat new
> Of William Kidd, who, whatever he did,
> To his Poll was always true.
> He sailed away in a galliant ship
> From the port of old Bri stol,
> And the last words he uttered,
> As his hankercher he fluttered,
> Were, "My heart is true to Poll."
> His heart was true to Poll,
> His heart was true to Poll.
>         Carolyn Wells, An Outline of Humor: Being a True Chronicle from
> Prehistoric Ages to the Twentieth Century, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1923, p. 523.
>
> "Our galliant Captain Charles M. Prevost, who is really a gentleman at heart
> and in action, called me aside from squad drill and said that, as our
> company had been ordered out for field duty with the Regiment next Tuesday,
> and believing that I would like to experience camp life au fond, he had
> detailed me and one other private to repair to our camp ground, six miles
> out of the city, the night before (that is Monday), when we would stand
> duty, sleep in tent, and so on; and be ready in the morning to join in the
> regimental evolution, etc. So you see I am in for it and shall see something
> practical in the bold 'solger's' life."
>         Elizabeth Robins Pennell, Charles Godfrey Leland: A Biography,
> Houghton Mifflin, 1906, p. 269.
>
> And when he left, his sweetheart she fainted away.
> And said she could never forget the sad day
> When her lover so noble, and galliant and gay,
> Said "Fare you well, my true love!" and went marching away.
>         James Whitcomb Riley, The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley
> Vol. 2, Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1916, p. 387.
>
>
> Paul
> _________________________
> Paul Frank
> Chinese-English translator
> paulfrank at post.harvard.edu
> www.languagejottings.blogspot.com