talisman

[Wilson Gray]

Perhaps the original meaning of _talisman_ has been lost, so that the
word has ceased to mean (very loosely), "good-luck charm," and has
been re-analysed as "good-luck charm" + "a baller who's as good as a
good-luck charm in his ability to lead his team to wins." Just a WAG.

-Wilson

On Sat, Jan 2, 2010 at 6:18 PM, Victor Steinbok <aardvark66 at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Victor Steinbok <aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      talisman
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I would not have believed it if I did not see it in print
>
>> Benitez's team selection reflected the Cup's importance, as he fielded
>> a full-strength side featuring *twin talismen* Gerrard and Fernando
>> Torres.
> http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/02012010/58/fa-cup-liverpool-struggle-draw-reading.html
>
> AFAICT the expression "talisman forward" (or goalkeeper, or just
> "keeper") is quite common in the British sports press in reference to
> top football/soccer players. For all I know, it may well translate to
> other sports as well, but I have never seen the reference in US sports
> press. Yet, I find the reference to "twin talismen" absolutely shocking.
> It reminds me of the sarcastic "innovations" aimed at anti-sexist
> language claims in changing the face of "mandate", "demand", etc. to
> de-emphasize the "man" in these words.
>
>     VS-)
>
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--
-Wilson
–––
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die!"––a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
–Mark Twain

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