[Ads-l] 'day and age' 1593, source of '[in] this day and age' 1658: OED 1832

[James Eric Lawson]

The phrase 'this day and age' with the sense "the current time" is not 
"originally...in", as per the evidence shown following.

OED:

Updated for OED 3, September 2014; entry most recently modified March 
2023:  *day, n.* _OED Online_  P6b. *this day and age*: the current 
time. Originally and chiefly in *in this day and age*: at the present 
time; nowadays.
1832   Genesee (Rochester, N.Y.) Farmer 24 Mar. 91/2   In this day and 
age, no one who is blessed with health and a common share of that 
indispensible article, good sense, can have an excuse for ignorance.

https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/47522


In 1593 the sense of the phrase 'day and age' is "at the time specified 
contextually":

1593  Miles Coverdale *Fruitfull lessons, vpon the passion, buriall, 
resurrection, ascension, and of the sending of the holy Ghost Gathered 
out of the foure Euangelists: with a plaine exposition of the same.* 
Vppon the sixt daye, hee finished the worke of the creation of the 
world: And nowe vppon the sixt day and age of the world, hee perfourmeth 
the blessed worke of mans redemption.

http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A19468.0001.001


In 1658 the sense of the phrase 'this day and age' is "at the current time":

1658  Alexander Parker *A testimony of the appearance of God in the 
spirit of power and the true light, making manifest the deceipts of the 
Serpent with some reasons why Margaret Hambleton doth deny the 
Presbyterians of Scotland, they being found in the steps of the false 
prophets.* (Early English Books Online 2)  And all along, even to this 
day and age, the true witnesses of God have suffered persecution, yea 
and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution; 
for saith Christ, if ye were of the world, the world would love his own, 
but because ye are not of this world, but I have chosen you out of the 
world, therefore the world hateth you.

http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A56094.0001.001


-- 
James Eric Lawson

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