Fun with phrases: "in a previous life"

[Jonathan Lighter]

If "in a previous life" requires a "humorous" label,  shouldn't "in a
previous existence" require one too?

My theory is that the humor of both has long ago worn thin and that people
use them neutrally now, rather like "I could care less."

JL

On Mon, Jul 16, 2012 at 6:12 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: Fun with phrases: "in a previous life"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 7/16/2012 06:01 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> >Gee, is that funny too?
>
> Jon is a bit elliptical, so I am wondering whether he meant ...
> What significant events happened while he was at the head?
> Did he spend his entire previous existence there?
>
> Joel
>
>
> >JL
> >
> >On Mon, Jul 16, 2012 at 5:18 PM, Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:
> >
> > > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> > > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > Poster:       Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
> > > Subject:      Re: Fun with phrases: "in a previous life"
> > >
> > >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Samuel Hopkins Adams, "Invaded America," _Everybody's Magazine_ 38,
> no. 2
> > > (Feb. 1918): 30:
> > >
> > > "Credit . . . is largely due to A. R. Rogers, the chairman.  In a
> previous
> > > existence, Mr. Rogers was at the head of a great lumber company . . .
> ."
> > >
> > > --Charlie
> > >
> > > ________________________________________
> > > From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of
> > > Victor Steinbok [aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM]
> > > Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 1:28 PM
> > >
> > >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > The expression "that's another life" is quite common in reference to an
> > > earlier stage in one's life, usually characterized by a different
> > > location, profession or employment, but occasionally also referring to
> > > just earlier stages, such college or school years, or periods marked by
> > > a cataclysmic event, such as a family member's death, divorce, etc.
> > >
> > > Eleanor Rosch used to refer to earlier stages in her career as
> "previous
> > > lives", as the directions of her research changed rather drastically
> > > between those stages. This is particularly ironic, given her 1990s
> stage
> > > that involved a Buddhist take on cognitive science.
> > >
> > >      VS-)
> > >
> > > On 7/16/2012 1:11 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> > > > This means "at an earlier time in one's life."  My wife has been
> using
> > > this
> > > > since at least the early '90s, if not the late '80s..
> > > >
> > > > A TV weatherman explained today that "in a previous life," about
> fifteen
> > > > years ago, he owned a small farm.
> > > >
> > > > The earliest I can find in GB:
> > > >
> > > > 1993 in _H.R. 3600, The Health Security Act_ (Washington, D.C.:
> USGPO,
> > > > 1994) IV 212 (GB snippet, looks real): MR. CONDRON: In a previous
> life I
> > > > was a congressional aide to your late colleague and a great man,
> Silvio
> > > > Conte of Massachusetts.
> > > >
> > > > 2000 Jay Hopkins in _Flying_  (July) 59: In a previous life, I
> served as
> > > a
> > > > school consultant for the Onondaga Council on Alcoholism in New York.
> > > >
> > > > JL
> > >
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"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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