positive "star-crossed"

[Jonathan Lighter]

My guess is that it's "star-crossed lovers" is associated with Romeo &
Juliet, about whom pop culture remembers little except that they were
crazy kids in love.

It also sounds a little like "starry-eyed," which is how lovers are
supposed to be.

The idea that real lovers could be thwarted by the zodiac is probably
too weird for all but professional astrologers.

JL

On Sun, Feb 5, 2012 at 11:33 AM, Nancy Friedman <nancyf at wordworking.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Nancy Friedman <nancyf at WORDWORKING.COM>
> Organization: Wordworking
> Subject:      positive "star-crossed"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I've recently come across several instances of "star-crossed" used favorably
> (e.g., from a planetarium in Auckland: "Calling all star-crossed lovers .
> this Valentine's Day, love is in the stars at Stardome"). I'm looking for:
>
> .        Additional examples, especially in advertising copy.
>
> .        Theories about why and when the semantic shift occurred (I have a
> few ideas, but unlike most of you I'm no academic).
>
>
>
> Thanks!
>
>
>
> Nancy
>
>
>
> _______
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