"beyond the pale"

[Garson O'Toole]

Victor Steinbok wrote:
> I had to scratch my head a bit to figure out what Joel meant, although,
> once you connect the dots, it makes perfect sense. The OED has "beyond
> the pale" only back to 1720, ...

(OED Third edition, August 2010; online version November 2010)
pale, n.1
5. fig. c. beyond the pale (of): outside or beyond the bounds (of).
beyond the pale: outside the limits of acceptable behaviour;
unacceptable or improper. Cf. senses 4a and 5a.

OED first cite is dated 1720. Here is a GB cite in 1651 that seems to
fit the classic figurative sense of "beyond the pale".

1651, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. Sermons by Jeremiah
Burroughs, Printed by W. Bentley, for L.S. and R.B.

... so it is with men, let men and women keep within the bounds of the
command of God, of the rule that God hath set them in his Word. and
then they are protected by God, and they may go about their business
with peace, and never be troubled for any thing, but cast all their
care upon God, God provides for them, but if they will go beyond the
pale, if they will pass their bounds, then they may expect to meet
with troubles, and afflictions, and discontent; and therefore that is
a fourth direction. Walk by rule.

http://books.google.com/books?id=ozM3AAAAMAAJ&q=%22beyond+the+pale%22#v=snippet&

Garson

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