infectious = 'imparting excitement, enjoyment, etc.'

[Jonathan Lighter]

Not much like def. 5 because "laughter" or "yawning," etc., can
be "catching" in a way resembling an infectious disease.

It isn't the "city" that's "infectious" in the newer, albeit
derivative, sense. It's the atmosphere of fun, excitement, whatever, that
the city imparts.

Do I approve?  Sure, except that the idea of an "infectious" N.O. right
after Katrina "sends the wrong message."

JL

On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 2:50 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: infectious = 'imparting excitement, enjoyment, etc.'
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 8/27/2010 01:35 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> >CNN asked a grad studentfrom Connecticut why she chose to enter Tulane as
> a
> >freshman soon after the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina.
> >
> >Her reply: "Because New Orleans is an infectious city."
> >
> >Not in OED.
>
> Is this very far from "5. Of actions, emotions, etc.: Having the
> quality of spreading from one to another; 'catching',
> contagious."?  From a1611, with
>      1866 G. MACDONALD Ann. Q. Neighb. xi. (1878) 200 How hearty and
> infectious his laughter! 1899 Nation (N.Y.) 12 Oct. 275/2 An
> infectious good humour and urbanity.
>
> Here applied to a city rather than a person.  And what better than a
> city can be urban(e)?
>
> I will assume JL approves of the use and disapproves of its absence
> from the OED.
>
> Joel
>
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