[Ads-l] Some early British uses of "irregardless" (1847-1861)

[Laurence Horn]

Thanks very much for this, Bonnie.  I've long been interested in redundant
forms like "irregardless" (cf. Ger. "unzweifellos" lit. 'undoubtless'), and
I wonder whether, given the evidence for 19th c. occurrences, this might be
linked to the redundant unXless forms attested in the 16th-17th c.,
although that's still a significant gap in attestations.  Here's the OED on
those forms, s.v. un- 1:

 *10. * Redundant uses.
  *a. * Prefixed to adjectives ending in *-less*, redundantly or with
emphatic force. Formations of this type are attested in Middle English (see
unreckless adj. 1 <https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/62363630#eid1221651840>,
unroless adj. <https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/62367441#eid1221654530>,
unwitless adj. <https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/62392007#eid1221711580>,
unguiltless adj. <https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/213978#eid16769262>); in
such instances, *un-* may perhaps originally have had pejorative rather
than negative force (cf. sense 6b
<https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/208915#eid17123349>). They are most common
in the 16th and 17th centuries, by which time the pejorative sense of *un-*
had otherwise largely passed out of use.
1543   G. Joye *Our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath not ouercharged his Chirche*
sig. C.iiiv   These contumate stifnecked vnshamelesse criminouse synners.
1598   B. Yong tr. A. Pérez *2nd Pt. Diana* in tr. J. de Montemayor *Diana*
235   Wofull man vncomfortlesse, and sad.
1634   A. Cowley *Elegy on Mr. R. Clarke* 10   His mellifluous breath Could
not at all charme unremorselesse Death.
1667   J. Janeway *Heaven upon Earth* 20   As a small drop in the
unfathomless depths of his Love.
1787   J. Burgoyne *Heiress* (ed. 6) v. i. 62   Your knowledge..is as
unquestionless [*earlier eds.* questionless] as your integrity.
1903   *Coast* Nov. 167/2   She hears the wild, unmatchless mirth Of
singing birds In fluttering herds.
2010   *Sun* (Nexis) 14 Sept. 11   The Southampton fans are getting
unrestless.

And of course there are also redundant un-verbs, which I've written about
in a few papers:  unloose(n), unthaw, unravel, unrip, unstring...  (Not to
mention Ameila Bedelia's "undust the furniture".)

LH

On Thu, Jul 9, 2020 at 11:05 AM Bonnie Taylor-Blake <b.taylorblake at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Merriam-Webster's Twitter account (@MerriamWebster) has been bombarded with
> complaints about the dictionary's recognition of "irregardless," with the
> usual declaration that it's not a word, etc. (In fairness, Merriam-Webster
> has also garnered praise for its take on the word and its usage.) The
> Guardian's response [1], in which it consulted <checks notes> journalists
> on "irregardless" hints that the word is "Chiefly North American" (as the
> OED notes).
>
> Since we last looked at early appearances of "irregardless," we had found
> an 1795 usage in Charleston, South Carolina and then a handful from ca.
> 1860 onward from other parts of the United States.
>
> http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2007-May/069739.html
>
> (I'd be happy to know if someone else has revisited this on the ADS-L since
> then.)
>
> Given the word's general association with American English, I was somewhat
> surprised to see "irregardless" in several British newspapers between 1847
> and 1860-ish. (BTW, I have since noticed that Pascal Tréguer included the
> 1847 and 1849 citations, below, in a blog post back in March, 2018:
> https://wordhistories.net/2018/03/23/irregardless-meaning-origin/)
>
> In any event, far below are some sightings of "irregardless" to fill the
> gap in usages between 1795 and ca. 1860. I've especially focused on British
> appearances, though I've also thrown in two from the States, just to
> demonstrate geographical range within the country. Words within asterisks
> indicate italics in the original texts.
>
> -- Bonnie
>
> [1]
>
> https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jul/06/is-irregardless-a-real-word-dictionary
>
> ------------------------------
>
> He was quite willing to go forward as the corrector of those abuses which
> really did exist, and the removal of which would be beneficial to the
> interests of the country, but he was decidedly opposed to those ill-advised
> and useless innovations, brought forward irregardless of the dangers and
> injuries they might inflict on the country. (Column 1, The Morning Post
> [London], 30 July 1847, p. 3.)
>
> ----------------------
>
> Or is it because the bloodhound spirit of an *office-seeker* will track any
> victim so that he can but secure the *spoils* irregardless of any
> incumbent, however faithful, honest, or competent he be? (Letter signed by
> "An Old-Fashioned Whig," The Washington Union, 13 July 1849, p. 2.)
>
> ----------------------
>
> On his way to London to his resident at Smitham Bottom, beyond Creydon
> [sic], he called on a friend at Croydon, and notwithstanding the torrents
> of rain he determined to drive home, irregardless of his friend's
> entreaties to stop for the night. (Under "Accidents," The Observer
> [London], 18 July 1853, p. 7.)
>
> ----------------------
>
> His course in the last Congress is cordially endorsed not only by his party
> but by many among the ranks of the opposition -- such as are disposed to be
> governed by compacts and compromises mutually agreed upon for the future
> prosperity and stability of the Government, irregardless of their bearing
> in advancing or detracting from the chances of Presidential aspirants.
> (Under "Hon. T.G. Hunt," The Thibodaux [Louisiana] Minerva, 16 September
> 1854, p. 2.)
>
> ----------------------
>
> To use a homely phrase, the *Times* knows "which side the bread is
> buttered;" and it distinguishes itself from any of its contemporaries by
> playing the winning game, irregardless of principle, and spices its
> sycophancy with sufficient censoriousness to make it palatable. (Column 3,
> The [Ryde] Isle of Wight Observer, 9 February 1861, p. 2.)
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

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