infamous = 'talked-about; popular'

[Laurence Horn]

On Feb 20, 2013, at 9:11 AM, Joel S. Berson wrote:

> At 2/20/2013 06:58 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>> CNN mentions "The President's infamous round of golf with Tiger Woods."
>>
>> The only meaning I can extract is "well reported,esp. if diverting."
>
> Depends on your opinion of Tiger Woods.  I would extract "disgraceful
> social occasion with a dishonored multiple adulterer."  Woods is
> infamous; the President becomes so also.
>
> Joel

I've come across other instances of bleached "infamous", and think of them as parallel to bleached "notorious" (and other adjectives of a similar kind that I can't think of at the moment).  Maybe "egregious"?  But perhaps there's a lingering negative odor still attaching in the case above, as you suggest.  But I think it would be more like the president playing a round of golf "with a dishonored multiple adulterer *who hasn't won another major* after his episode with the golf club and windshield."  If Tiger's game had recovered, it would be "infamous" in the good, or at least not-bad, sense.

LH
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 29, 2010 at 3:23 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>>
>> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> > -----------------------
>> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> > Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>> > Subject:      Re: infamous = 'talked-about; popular'
>> >
>> >
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> >
>> > At 11/29/2010 03:05 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>> > >A sense weaker than even 'famous' or 'celebrated' - at least as those
>> > words
>> > >are traditionally used:
>> >
>> > But does this example have the more complex notion of "famous or
>> > celebrated, but still disreputable"?  (I am reminded of the 18th
>> > century American con man Tom Bell, who was called "the famous or
>> > rather infamous Tom Bell" in a 1743 Boston newspaper.)
>> >
>> > Joel
>> >
>> >
>> > >
>> >
>> http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/29/dr-drew-pinsky-to-host-new-hln-show/?hpt=T2
>> > >  :
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >"The good doctor is certainly no stranger to television. In addition to
>> > the
>> > >new show on HLN, his latest edition of  'Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew'
>> > will
>> > >premiere on December 1 on VH1. This infamous reality show brings together
>> > >cast of celebrities seeking treatment for a variety of addictions. The new
>> > >season will feature Rachel Uchitel, well known for her connection with the
>> > >Tiger Woods scandal, as well as reality TV judge and original supermodel
>> > >Janice Dickinson".
>> > >
>> > >JL
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >--
>> > >"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
>> > truth."
>> > >
>> > >------------------------------------------------------------
>> > >The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>> >
>> > ------------------------------------------------------------
>> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org