"real-time" = ?(of a message) instantaneous; "palfrey" = medieval warhorse; charger

[Baker, John]

        I initially misunderstood Professor Goldensohn's point, which
sounded like the medieval knights were using airborne palfreys.  That's
a misreading, but it's a striking image.

        Anyway, I don't actually think it's a SOTA that a professor of
English literature, presumably not an expert in either horses or
medieval warfare, misused "palfreys" (light horses for ordinary riding)
to mean warhorses.


John Baker



-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Jonathan Lighter
Sent: Thursday, July 09, 2009 5:10 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: "real-time" = ?(of a message) instantaneous; "palfrey" =
medieval warhorse; charger

This a.m. on CNN somebody mentioned that you can now get "real-time
Tweets on your Blackberry."  Sounds like the start of the Canterbury
Tales.

Bonus:

2003 Lorrie Goldensohn _Dismantling Glory_ (N.Y.: Columbia U.P.) 75:
[P]ilots fought each other [in WW1] from airborne palfreys like medieval
knights.

Professor Goldensohn taught English literature for many years at Vassar
College. Her 1992 biography of Elizabeth Bishop was nominated for a
Pultizer.

JL

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