amelioration of "shock"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Here is a citation in 1910 for "pleasurably shocked" that might be of
interest. It shows that some shocks could give pleasure (for some
speakers). But does not indicate the default meaning for "shocked".
The adverbially elaboration may have moved "shocked" to an low
frequency interpretation.

Songs and Tales: A Collection of Songs and Tales from Life and Imagination
Author: David C. Nimmo (David Chalmers Nimmo)
Year: 1910 copyright
Section: The Revenge
Start Page 240, Quote Page 240 and 241

[Begin excerpt]
Naturally, when about four months after meeting for the first time he
asked her to be his wife, Mabel was surprised and pleasurably shocked.
Though it was a new and delightful experience to have such a business
on her hands it did not blind her to the seriousness of the event; it
rather woke her up and for the first time in her life she thought on
the solemness of marriage.
[End excerpt]

On Sat, Sep 20, 2014 at 11:31 AM, Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at gmail.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: amelioration of "shock"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To me shock, which is negative, is being used a synonym for stun, which is
> neutral.
> On Sep 20, 2014 11:01 AM, "Jonathan Lighter" <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      amelioration of "shock"
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Maybe this was mentioned before. I've been noticing it for several years.
>>
>> Now in the pop media it very frequently means "pleased and surprised;
>> moved"
>>
>> Yahoo! News offers a paradigm example:
>>
>>
>> "Tim McGraw shocked at daughter's singing debut...
>> The country star says 12-year-old Audrey inherited her mother Faith Hill's
>> pitch and tone....'I had tears running down my face.'"
>>
>>
>>
>> JL
>> --
>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>>
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>>
>
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