Fun with phrases: "in a previous life"

[Dave Wilton]

I use the phrase in exactly that way. In past lives I've worked for the
Pentagon and in Silicon Valley. Now I'm in academia. The different careers
don't really relate to one another, and the phrase is a shorthand way to
indicate that. I don't consider it especially witty, just convenient.


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
George Thompson
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 2:25 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Fun with phrases: "in a previous life"

I use the phrase myself on occasion, not supposing that I am being
uproariously funny, but wryly indicating a phase of my life that is now
completely over, and none too soon, either.

GAT

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