[Ads-l] A newspaper "clear story"

[Laurence Horn]

Not sure it’s an eggcorn, since the etymology really is “clere” = ‘clear’ + “story”, so it seems like “clear()story” is just a regularized spelling. (As in “creme” > ”cream filling”)  For me, the epiphany is that that’s what a clerestory is.  I must never have heard "clerestory” actually pronounced, just encountered it (very occasionally) in writing, and figured it was pronounced “cluh-REST-uhree” /kl@‘rEst at ri/, maybe influenced by “rectory” or maybe “vestry”.  Once again I’ve been mayzled.

LH

> On Mar 3, 2017, at 5:26 PM, Marc Sacks <msacksg at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> When I saw the subject line before reading the email, I thought "Is that
> supposed to be a window, or a church balcony?" I guess it's an eggcorn.
> 
> On Fri, Mar 3, 2017 at 4:17 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com
>> wrote:
> 
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      Re: A newspaper "clear story"
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> -------------------
>> 
>> The terms "clearstory" and "clear story" are present in an online copy
>> of a letter from Sarah L. Burks, Preservation Planner to the Cambridge
>> Historical Commission.
>> 
>> https://www.cambridgema.gov/~/media/Files/historicalcommission/pdf/
>> casefile=
>> s/d1432_memo.pdf?la=3Den
>> 
>> [Begin excerpt]
>> The southern half of the roof of Saint Patrick=E2=80=99s caught fire. The
>> slate roof on the south side of the main gable collapsed, taking with
>> it much of the third floor framing. A secondary shed roof and a post
>> and truss framing system support the clearstory wall and the main
>> roof. The fire filled the cavity above the second floor ceiling in
>> this shed roofed area causing extensive structural damage.
>> [End excerpt]
>> 
>> [Begin excerpt]
>> A choir loft was located over the vestibule of the main entrance and
>> an elliptical apse and two sacristies were at the opposite end. The
>> center of the sanctuary was 40=E2=80=99 high and lit by large arched
>> window=
>> s
>> at a clear story level.
>> [End excerpt]
>> 
>> Garson
>> 
>> On Fri, Mar 3, 2017 at 2:36 PM, Joel Berson <berson at att.net> wrote:
>>> Stained glass windows from a former church in Cambridge,  Mass., now to
>> b=
>> e torn down as the result of a fire, will be transferred to a housing
>> compl=
>> ex damaged by the same fire and needing new windows.  In the former
>> church,=
>> quoting from the newspaper:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 'The center of the sanctuary was 40 feet high and lit by large arched
>> win=
>> dows at a clear story level,' according to the [Cambridge Historical
>> Commis=
>> sion's] description of the former church.
>>> 
>>> Boston Globe, March 3, 2017, page B2, "A window on life after a fire,"
>> co=
>> l. 3.
>>> 
>>> Also in the Globe online.  I don't know whether this error is the
>> Globe's=
>> or the Cambridge Historical Commission's.
>>> 
>>> Joel
>>> 
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>> 
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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