[Ads-l] "be absolved of" = "be confirmed or proved of"

[Joel Berson]

As the news media begin to present Kane in a more favorable light, they are paraphrasing his utterance so that he no longer appears to be convicting himself.  For example, in the NY Times -- "Kane has not been charged in the case, and he told reporters last week that he had 'done nothing wrong' and that he expected to be exonerated."

However, at almost the same moment I was reading this, a TV news program played a video of his statement, and he clearly said "absolved of having done nothing wrong."

Joel
      From: Joel Berson <berson at att.net>
 To: American Dialect Society <ads-l at listserv.uga.edu> 
 Sent: Friday, September 18, 2015 12:27 PM
 Subject: "be absolved of" = "be confirmed or proved of"
   
Chicago Blackhaws star Patrick Kane, an accused sexual assaultist, has apologized -- not to his (alleged) victim, because "he has too much respect for the legal process", but to his family, teammates, "this incredible organization and, of course, our fans."

He adds, "I am confident once all the facts are brought to light I will be absolved of having done nothing wrong."

Joel




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