"old soul"

[Jonathan Lighter]

He was a "merry old soul,"  not a "merry old-soul."

Of course, if I want to understand it the cool New Age way, you can't stop
me. Or any of the millions of tots who will soon be taught the rhyme in a
world where "old soul" is in common use.

BTW, there was a commercial a three or four years ago in which a singer
described herself as a "very young soul."  It may have been an actual smash
hit that I've never heard of, utilized for its instant recognizability.

JL

On Fri, Sep 28, 2012 at 3:59 AM, Martin Kaminer <martin.kaminer at gmail.com>wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Martin Kaminer <martin.kaminer at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "old soul"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> On Fri, Sep 28, 2012 at 12:11 AM, James Harbeck <jharbeck at sympatico.ca
> >wrote:
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> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       James Harbeck <jharbeck at SYMPATICO.CA>
> > Subject:      Re: "old soul"
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > That's always been how I've taken it, too. That's how it was explained to
> > me the first time I heard it. I guess the usage is broadening. But, ah,
> how
> > does either sense account for Old King Cole?
> >
> > James Harbeck.
>
>
> Intriguing.  I'm going to suggest that when "old soul" is modified (by
> merry, dear, sad, poor, etc.) it generally indicates "a person regarded
> with affection or pity" while the unmodified usage indicates someone with
> wisdom or perspective beyond his years, however acquired.
>
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