"Blue Northern" [was "Nor'easter"]

Geoff Nathan geoffnathan at WAYNE.EDU
Thu Jan 21 02:43:32 UTC 2010 

It wasn't the reliability issue that I was worrying about, it was the security question--those sites often seem sketchy (new sense) and I worry about trojans and other electronic nasties hiding within them.

Geoff

Geoffrey S. Nathan
Faculty Liaison, C&IT
and Associate Professor, Linguistics Program
+1 (313) 577-1259 (C&IT)
+1 (313) 577-8621 (English/Linguistics)

----- "Laurence Horn" <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU> wrote:

> From: "Laurence Horn" <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 7:56:32 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
> Subject: Re: "Blue Northern" [was "Nor'easter"]
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: "Blue Northern" [was "Nor'easter"]
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 10:18 AM -0500 1/20/10, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> >They seem to cut and paste from one another frequently.  If no one's
> >actually heard the n, I'd say ignore it.
> >
> >JL
> >
>
> There are a couple thousand hits for "blow you old blue norther",
> which is the way I've always heard it.  Let me check...  Yes, Judy
> Collins indeed sings it with the "n".  I have it mentally stored
> without one, though, so I'm figuring that was from the Ian and Sylvia
> version that I unfortunately don't have on iTunes.
>
> I agree that it's frustrating to use the web for song lyrics--same
> typos appear on all the different sites, no author credit ever
> appears (making it look as though the song has as many writers as
> recording artists), and (crucially for my usual purposes) no reliable
> date.
>
> LH
>
> >
> >On Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 10:06 AM, Geoffrey Nathan
> ><geoffnathan at wayne.edu>wrote:
> >
> >>  ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >>  -----------------------
> >>  Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >>  Poster:       Geoffrey Nathan <geoffnathan at WAYNE.EDU>
> >>  Subject:      Re: "Blue Northern" [was "Nor'easter"]
> >>
> >>
> >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >>  I put the 'n' in (although I'd never noticed it in the song, which
> has been
> >>  covered by others, notably Judy Collins, incidentally) mostly
> because all
> >>  copies of the lyrics I could find online had it.
> >>
> >>  It's tricky looking up lyrics online because many of the Google
> hits seem
> >>  to wind you up at iffy sites that I'm rather wary of (I actually
> am an IT
> >>  Security professional in my other life--I don't just play one on
> TV).
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>http://www.musicsonglyrics.com/K/kingstontriolyrics/kingstontriosomedaysoonlyrics.htm
> >>
> >>
> http://www.roughstock.com/cowpie/songs/s/suzy-bogguss/someday-soon
> >>
> >>  Geoff
> >>
> >>  Geoffrey S. Nathan
> >>  Faculty Liaison, C&IT
> >>  and Associate Professor, Linguistics Program
> >>  +1 (313) 577-1259 (C&IT)
> >>  +1 (313) 577-8621 (English/Linguistics)
> >>
> >>  ----- "Jonathan Lighter" <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >>
> >>  > From: "Jonathan Lighter" <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> >>  > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> >>  > Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9:43:37 AM GMT -05:00
> US/Canada Eastern
> >>   > Subject: Re: "Blue Northern" [was "Nor'easter"]
> >>  >
> >>  > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >>  > -----------------------
> >>  > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >>  > Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> >>  > Subject:      Re: "Blue Northern" [was "Nor'easter"]
> >>  >
> >>
> >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>  >
> >>  > The final "n" heard in "blue northern" could be a barely
> enunciated
> >>  > "and."
> >>  >
> >>  >  JL
> >>  >
> >>  > On Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 9:32 AM, Bill Palmer
> >>  > <w_a_palmer at bellsouth.net>wrot=
> >>  > e:
> >>  >
> >>  > > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >>  > > -----------------------
> >>  > > Sender:       American Dialect Society
> <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >>  > > Poster:       Bill Palmer <w_a_palmer at BELLSOUTH.NET>
> >>  > > Subject:      Re: "Blue Northern" [was "Nor'easter"]
> >>  > >
> >>  > >
> >>  >
> >>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> >>  > ------
> >>  > >
> >>  > > I loved the Ian & Sylvia song you just excerpted, Geoff. And
> it's
> >>  > the onl=
> >>  > y
> >>  > > time I've ever heard the expression "blue norther" (sans "n",
> I
> >>  > believe, =
> >>  > if
> >>  > > I was hearing it right).  I never knew Ian's surname, BTW, so
> >>  > thanks.
> >>  > >
> >>  > > Never spent any time in the NW, so I wonder if "blue norther"
> is a
> >>  > common
> >>  > > term there.
> >>  > >
> >>  > > Bill Palmer
> >>  > > ----- Original Message -----
> >>  > > From: "Geoffrey Nathan" <geoffnathan at WAYNE.EDU>
> >>  > > To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >>  > > Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 6:14 AM
> >  > > > Subject: Re: "Blue Northern" [was "Nor'easter"]
> >>  > >
> >>  > >
> >>  > > > ---------------------- Information from the mail
> >>  > > > header -----------------------
> >>  > > > Sender:       American Dialect Society
> <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >  > > > > Poster:       Geoffrey Nathan <geoffnathan at WAYNE.EDU>
> >>  > > > Subject:      Re: "Blue Northern" [was "Nor'easter"]
> >>  > > >
> >>  > >
> >>  >
> >>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> >>  > ------
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > > Some of you may remember the use of the phrase "Blue
> Norther" in
> >>  > Ian
> >>  > > > Tyson's _Someday Soon_:
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > > So blow, you old Blue Northern, blow my love to me
> >>  > > > He's ridin' in tonight from California
> >>  > > > He loves his damned old rodeo as much as he loves me
> >>  > > > Someday soon, goin' with him someday soon
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > > Clearly also a wind, but not associated with the Northeast.
> I'm a
> >>  > litt=
> >>  > le
> >>  > > > surprised that everyone didn't simply know that a Nor'easter
> was a
> >>  > majo=
> >>  > r
> >>  > > > snowstorm that rolls up the east coast, hitting New York,
> Boston,
> >>  > Maine
> >>  > > > and then the Maritimes.  I thought it was just standard
> English.
> >>  > > Certainly
> >>  > > > CNN and The Weather Channel use the term all the time.
> Here's a
> >>  > > > definition:
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > > http://www.weather.com/encyclopedia/winter/noreast.html
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > > The word is polysemous for me, simultaneously meaning simply
> a
> >>  > wind fro=
> >>  > m
> >>  > > > the North-East, and in that case it has no specific latitude
> and
> >>  > > > longitude.
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > > Geoff
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > > Geoffrey S. Nathan
> >>  > > > Faculty Liaison, C&IT
> >>  > > > and Associate Professor, Linguistics Program
> >>  > > > +1 (313) 577-1259 (C&IT)
> >>  > > > +1 (313) 577-8621 (English/Linguistics)
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > > ----- "Wilson Gray" <hwgray at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > >> From: "Wilson Gray" <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
> >>  > > >> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> >>  > > >> Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 8:37:19 PM GMT -05:00
> US/Canada
> >>  > Easter=
> >>  > n
> >>  > > >> Subject: Re: "Nor'easter" -- missing definition? and an
> >>  > antedating
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >>  > > >> -----------------------
> >>  > > >> Sender:       American Dialect Society
> <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >>  > > >> Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
> >>  > > >> Subject:      Re: "Nor'easter" -- missing definition? and
> an
> >>  > > >> antedating
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > >
> >>  >
> >>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> >>  > ------
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >> Has anybody here been to sea or know anyone who's been to
> sea
> >>  > and,
> >>  > > >> therefore, might know what contemporary seafarers, at
> least, say?
> >>  > I
> >>  > > >> read Jan freeman's Boston Globe article, which, for me, is
> the
> >>  > last
> >>  > > >> word on the subject of the *word* _nor'easter_.. As it
> happens,
> >>  > I
> >>  > > >> have
> >>  > > >> a brother who spent years on an aircraft carrier and,
> later, on
> >>  > a
> >>  > > >> destroyer, as both EM and officer. Unfortunately it has
> never
> >>  > > >> occurred
> >>  > > >> to me , before now, to ask him about the nor[th]easter, he
> being
> >>  > of
> >>  > > >> somewhat-waspish temperament, with nothing much more than
> >>  > contempt
> >>  > > >> for
> >>  > > >> the ignorance of others.
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >> IME from living in Boston, I consider a "nor[th]easter" to
> be a
> >>  > > >> full-blown (no pun intended) storm and not merely a wind.
> >>  > However, I
> >>  > > >> have no vested interest in this. So, it's fine with me, if
> >>  > others
> >>  > > >> choose to believe otherwise.
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >> WRT "blue norther," Kelli's mention of this storm is the
> only
> >>  > other
> >>  > > >> time that I've come across it, since that time when Sky
> King and
> >>  > his
> >>  > > >> sidekicks were trapped by a snow-bearing one in an episode
> of the
> >>  > old
> >>  > > >> radio show, back in the '40's. There's nothing like that in
> East
> >>  > > >> Texas, just eye-blasting, eardrum-shattering
> thunderstorms.
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >> There was an odd local(?) belief: if you made any kind of
> loud
> >>  > noise
> >>  > > >> during such a storm, you would call down the lightning
> onto
> >>  > wherever
> >>  > > >> it was that you were sheltering. I recall talking in
> whispers
> >  > > and
> >>  > > >> walking on tip-toe, during such storms. As a child, I
> really
> >>  > wanted
> >>  > > >> to
> >>  > > >> see whether a thunderbolt could actually set a house afire,
> when
> >  > > it
> >>  > > >> was pouring down rain. So, I always kinda hoped that some
> >>  > neighbor
> >>  > > >> would make a loud noise and cause his house to be struck
> by
> >>  > > >> lightning,
> >>  > > >> so that I could see whether the crib would consequently
> burn to
> >>  > the
> >>  > > >> ground, despite all the water falling from the sky.
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >> -Wilson
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >> On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 1:51 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: "Nor'easter" -- missing definition? and
> an
> >>  > > >> antedating
> >>  > > >> >
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > >
> >>  >
> >>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> >>  > ------
> >>  > > >> >
> >>  > > >> > At 1/19/2010 01:25 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> >>  > > >> >>Literary? Then how explain customary nautical
> pronunciations
> >>  > > >> "nor'east,"
> >>  > > >> >>"nor'west," "nor'nor'west," etc.?
> >>  > > >> >
> >>  > > >> > The highly-educated seamen and fishermen of
> pre-colonial,
> >>  > colonial,
> >>  > > >> > and early Republic New England?  :-)
> >>  > > >> >
> >>  > > >> > Joel
> >>  > > >> >
> >>  > > >> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>  > > >> > The American Dialect Society -
> http://www.americandialect.org
> >>  > > >> >
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >> --
> >>  > > >> -Wilson
> >>  > > >> =EF=BF=BD=EF=BF=BD=EF=BF=BD
> >>  > > >> All say, "How hard it is that we have to
> die!"=EF=BF=BD=EF=BF=BDa
> >>  > stra=
> >>  > nge complaint
> >>  > > >> to
> >>  > > >> come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
> >>  > > >> =EF=BF=BDMark Twain
> >>  > > >>
> >>  > > >>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>  > > >> The American Dialect Society -
> http://www.americandialect.org
> >>  > > >
> >>  > > >
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>  > > > The American Dialect Society -
> http://www.americandialect.org
> >>  > >
> >>  > >
> >>  > >
> >>  > >
> >>  >
> >>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> >>  > -------
> >>  > >
> >>  > >
> >>  > >
> >>  > > No virus found in this incoming message.
> >>  > > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> >>  > > Version: 8.5.432 / Virus Database: 270.14.150/2632 - Release
> Date:
> >>  > 01/19/=
> >>  > 10
> >>  > > 07:34:00
> >>  > >
> >>  > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>  > > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>  > >
> >>  >
> >>  >
> >>  >
> >>  > --=20
> >>  > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle
> the
> >>  > truth."
> >>  >
> >>  > ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>  > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>
> >>  ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>  The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> truth."
> >
> >------------------------------------------------------------
> >The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

More information about the Ads-l mailing list