nuncio

[Jonathan Lighter]

>  The show is full of anachronistic references, although some
parts are quite realistically done. ... It's kind of a cross between Law
and Order and Sherlock Holmes and a Spaghetti Western, set in NYC during
the Civil War.

In other words, it's (*yawn*) yet another postmodernist fiction where
nothing counts but what your senses detect right now.  Set brain at zero
and cf. "Xena: Warrior Princess."

JL


On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 10:57 PM, Victor Steinbok <aardvark66 at gmail.com>wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Victor Steinbok <aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      nuncio
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> OED WOTD today is "nuncio". The primary meaning is given as " 1. R.C.
> Church. A papal ambassador to a foreign court or government." Then, more
> broadly, as "messenger". (Also member of the Polish Diet, but that's
> irrelevant.) I'd like to know if I have not been imagining routine movie
> and news references to "nuncio" as either the Pope himself, rather than
> his ambassador or messenger, or to high-ranking members of the Church
> hierarchy, such as cardinals and archbishops. My recollection is
> somewhat vague on this subject, but I believe it to be the case.
>
> On an entirely OT note, if anyone is interested in yet another version
> of creative anachronism, you might consider watching Copper on BBC
> America. The show is full of anachronistic references, although some
> parts are quite realistically done. Some anachronisms are language
> related, others are historical (more appropriately billed as "errors of
> fact"). It's kind of a cross between Law and Order and Sherlock Holmes
> and a Spaghetti Western, set in NYC during the Civil War.
>
>      VS-)
>
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