[lit-ideas] Re: "Bless you": a performative?
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 21:53:49 EDT
In a message dated 8/5/2004 8:50:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, atlas@earthl
ink.net writes:
"Blood
you!" Speranza would have us saying. Meaning, I guess: "Come a little bit
closer, cause you my kind of Sacrifice. So naive and gullible." But what
does bless MEAN? And don't tell me "blood".
Okay. Since the other e-mail I sent on this was in rich text (rather than
plain text) -- and therefore almost impossible to read (my apologies), I will
transcribe here below, for the boring record, again, the OED cites for 'bless'.
It would be interesting to check which uses were _meant_ by the speaker (of
'bless') to be _performative_ and which not.
Geary says it's all 'word magic _sans_ le magic' --
For pragmaticists (like Grice, etc), it's ultimately the _intention_ of the
speaker (utterer) that matters, so _she_ may think she is 'blessing', while
(to Geary) she is not. Etc.
(McEvoy would comment, "If 'bless' is a _performative_, then surely 'Atchoo'
is, too").
Ultimately, as Enns may agree, it's all an Amish thing.
Note 'bless' fulfils J. L. Austin's requirements for explicit performatives
("I hereby bless you that...").
JL
--- "God bless you and yours from fire."
Fuller, Wounded Consc., 1646.
OED cites for 'bless'.
1000 Ags. Gospel according to Matthew.
xxvi. 26
"Se haelend nam hlaf and hyne bletsode and broc."
1200 _ORMIN_ 17193
"Att waterr att iss att te funnt Blettcedd i Godes wordess."
1377 _LANGL._ Piers Ploughman B. XI. 229
"Tyl he blessed and brak e bred at ei eten."
1400 Apol. Loll. 30
"If the priest sacre Christ wan he prest e sacrament of God in e auter."
1593 _H. SMITH_ Serm. (1637) 376
"Before thou hast blessed it with prayer, thou hast no promise it shall
prosper."
1596. Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice III. ii. 79.
1637 _GILLESPIE_ Eng. Pop. Cerem. IV. iv. 20
"It was behoofeful for their cause, distinctly and severally to bless
those elements."
1649 _MILTON_ Eikon. Wks. 1738 I. 427
"Where the Master is too resty, or too rich to bless his own table."
1798 _SOUTHEY_ Bp. Bruno Wks. VI. 149
"And now the bishop had blest the meat."
1154 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.)
"a was he [Henry II] to king bletcaed in London"
1420 Chron. Vilod. 563
"And was blessed Abbas in the same place."
1168
"en was Alfyne y blessud Abbas of t plase".
950 Lindisf. Gosp. John viii. 48
"Ahne bloedsade ue usic vel"
1225 Ancr. R. 290
"Breid up ene rode stef, & sweng him ean a uour a uoene helle
dogge. et nis nout elles bute blesce e
al abuten mid te eadie rode tocne."
1500 Yng. Children's Bk. in Babees Bk. (1868) 17
"Aryse be tyme oute of thi bedde, And blysse i brest & thi forhede."
1562 _J. HEYWOOD_ Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 91,
"I neither nod for sleep nor bless for spirits"
1577 _HOLINSHED_ Chron. I. 157/2
"Bless your eyes with the sign of the Cross, and try whether you can
see that I see."
1653 _URQUHART_ Rabelais I. xxxv,
"When they heard these words, some blessed themselves with both hands,
thinking that he had been a devil disguised."
1719 LADY M. W. MONTAGUE Lett. II. xlvii. 47,
"I fancy I see you bless yourself at this terrible relation."
1534 _MORE_ Passion Wks. (1557) 1273/1
"When the devill first casts any proud vain thought into our mind, let us
forthwith make a cross on our breast, and bless it out."
1589 _NASHE_ Pasquils Ret. Wks. 1885 I. 93
"One Pope or other blessed me into a stone to stop my mouth."
1557 _NORTH_ Gueuara's Diall Pr. (1619) 625/2
"The pestilence of penny he has in his purse to bless himself with."
1562 _J. HEYWOOD_ Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 73
"He had not one penny to bless him."
1861 _GEO. ELIOT_ Silas M.,
"I have not a shilling to bless myself with."
1609 Man in the Moone 11
"Bless his beard with a bazen of water, least he burn it."
1175 Lamb. Hom. 59
"From all . wele he shall bless us."
1543 _BECON_ New Y. Gift Wks. (1843) 315
"With such I love not to meddle. God bless me from them!"
1594 _NASHE_ Unfort. Trav. 43
"Kisse the ground as holy ground which she vouchsafed to bless from
barrenness by her steps."
1594 _SHAKES._ Rich. III, III. iii. 5
"God blesse the Prince from all the Pack of you."
1596 _SPENSER_ F.Q. I. ii. 18
"Glauncing down his shield from blame him fairly blest."
1632 _MILTON_ Penseroso 83
"Or the bellman's drowsy charm
To bless the doors from nightly harm."
1646 _FULLER_ Wounded Consc. (1841) 349
"God bless you and yours from fire."
1650 _BP. HALL_ Cases Consc. 181
"Doubtless, the Devil is a most skilfull Artist..but God bless us from
employing him."
1855 _KINGSLEY_ Westw. Ho! ii. (Traditional Spell)
"â??Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Bless the bed that I lie on.â??"
1449 _PECOCK_ Repr. III. xix. 411
"If thilk doctor had blessed him silf fro this.. perel."
1530 _PALSGR._ 458/1,
"I will never medle with him, if I may bless me from him."
1549 _CHALONER_ Erasm. Moriæ Enc. Eivb,
"Which of you would not loath and bless you from the company of such
maner a man."
1618 _RALEIGH_ Rem. (1644) 97
"From Suretieship, as from a Man-slayer, or Enchanter, bless
thyself."
1622 _FLETCHER_ Span. Curate I. i. 27
"Bless yourselves from the thought of him and her."
1651 _MORE_ Enthus. Triumph. (1656) 172
"Bless thee from madness, Tom, and all will be well."
1753 _SMOLLETT_ Ct. Fathom (1784) 137/2
"He blessed himself from such customers."
1000 Cædmon's Daniel 400 (Gr.)
We ec bless, Faeder , Faeder.
1000 Ags. Psalter xcv[i]. 2
Bless nu drihtne and his nne naman bealde naman .
1175 Lamb. Hom. 57
i nome beo iblecced.
1305 Deo Gratias in E.E.P. (1862) 125
"To onke and bless him we be bounde."
1382 _WYCLIF_ Jas iii. 9
"In it we bless God the father, and in it we curse men."
1593 _HOOKER_ Eccl. Pol. I. iii. §4
"The Creator alone to be blessed, adored and honoured of all for ever."
1651 _HOBBES_ Leviath. II. xxxi. 189
"The subject of Magnifying and Blessing, being Power."
1825 _J. MONTGOMERY_ Hymn â??Stand up and blessâ?? 6
"Stand up and bless the Lord, The Lord your God adore."
1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke i. 68
"Gebletsod si drihten israhela god, sm e he eneosode."
1382 _WYCLIF_ ibid.
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for"
1440 York Myst. xii. 217
"Blessed be thou ay, For e grace ou has me lente."
1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 251
"To laude and bless God for his goodness."
1596. Shakes. Tam. Shr. IV. v. 18
"Then God be blesst, it is the blessed son."
1795 _SOUTHEY_ Joan of Arc II. 309,
"I blessed my God I was not such as he."
1843 _NEALE_ Hymns for Sick 44
"But Thy But Oh give me grace to bless It every hour!"
1440 Ywaine & Gaw. 3344
"Folk blessed the time that he was born."
1845 _HOOD_ Pauper's Christmas Carol iii,
"Ought not I to bless my stars?"
1846 Punch IX. 13
"Let me bless my prudence."
1000 _Ã?LFRIC_ Gen. xxvii. 4
"Bring me æt ic ete, and ic e blesse ær am e ic swelte."
1000 Ags. Gosp. Mark x. 16 a
"beclypte he hÃ, and his handa ofer hi settende bletsode hi."
1205 LAY. 32157
"Me and mine Me a he shall he scaen & scriue."
1300 Cursor M. 637
"God him blessed and bade him breed, and multiply."
1383 _WYCLIF_ Sel. Wks. III. 323
"Thei cursen hem at God bless God."
1388 Numb. xxiii. 11
"What is this that thou doist? Y clepide thee that thou schuldist
curse myn enemyes, and Wenward thou blessist hem."
1410 _LOVE_ Bonavent. Mirr. xv. 38 (Gibbs MS.),
"After he had i blessed him went uppe Aayne to heaven."
1549 Bk. Com. Prayer, Confirm.,
"Then shall the Bishop bless the children, thus saying."
1810 _SCOTT_ Lady of L. III. vii,
"Stood prompt to bless or ban."
1330 _R. BRUNNE_ Chron. (1810) 97,
"I bless Anselm erfore."
1330 Amis & Amil. 344
"Men blessed him, both bone and blood, That euer him gat and bare."
1613 _SHAKES._ Hen. VIII, III. i. 54
"To taint that honor euery good Tongue blesses.
1667 _MILTON_ P.L. x. 821
"So disinherited how would ye bless Me now your Curse!"
1712 _STEELE_ Spect. No. 264 1
"The Fatherless..and the Stranger bless his unseen Hand in their
Prayers."
1742 _W. COLLINS_ Ode vi,
"By all their country's wishes blest."
1850 _TENNYSON_ In Mem. cxix,
"I..think of early days and thee, And bless thee."
1000 Cædmon's Gen. 2357 (Gr.)
Ic Ismael estum wille bletsian.
1300 Hymn to God 16 in Trin. Coll. Hom. App. 258
Louerd u vs bless.
1388 _WYCLIF_ Gen. xxxix. 5
And the Lord blessed the hows of Egipcian for Joseph.
1549 Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrim.,
Look, O Lord, mercifully upon them from heaven, and bless them.
1578 Gude & Godlie Ballates (1868) 65
Blis, blissit God, thir giftes gude Quhilk thow hes geuin to be our
fude.
1596 _SHAKES._ Merch. V. IV. i. 186
It [mercy] is twice blest, It blesseth him that giues, and him that
takes.
1597 2 Hen. IV, I. ii. 248
Heaven bless your Expedition.
1697 _DRYDEN_ Virg. Georg. IV. 729
But she return'd no more, to bless his longing Eyes.
1718 _POPE_ Iliad I. 144
When first her blooming beauties bless'd my arms.
1813 _BYRON_ Giaour 1115,
I have possess'd,
And come what may, I have been blest.
1848 _THACKERAY_ Van. Fair xxxi,
â??God bless the meat,â?? said the Major's wife, solemnly.
1850 _LYNCH_ Theo. Trin. v. 88
"To say that good gives pleasure seems poor expression of the truth
that it blesses us."
831 Charter of Oswulf (Sweet O.E.T. 444)
aette e sien eblitsude mid em weorldcundum godum.
1598 _B. JONSON_ Ev. Man out of Hum. II. iii,
"She was blessed with no more copy of wit."
1602 Return fr. Parnass. II. v. (Arb.) 30,
"I will bless your ears with a very pretty story."
1610 _SHAKES._ Temp. II. i. 124
"You may thank yourself that would not bless our Europe with your
daughter."
1650 _BAXTER_ Saint's R. III. (1654) 4
"Return him hearty thanks upon my knees, that ever he blessed his
Word in my mouth with such..success.
1712 _ARBUTHNOT_ John Bull (1755) 30
"Mrs. Bull blessed John with three daughters."
1767 _FORDYCE_ Serm. Yng. Wom. I. i. 14
"Are you blessed with parents?"
1839 _BAILEY_ Festus i,
"To bless him with salvation."
1611 BIBLE Jer. iv. 2
"The nations shall bless themselues in him, and in him shall they
glorie.
1674 _N. FAIRFAX_ Bulk & Selv. To Rdr.,
I blisst myself that I was there.
1684 _BUNYAN_ Pilgr. II. (1879) 246
Old men have blessed themselves with this mistake.
1839 _BAILEY_ Festus iv,
To..bask, and bless myself, Upon the broad bright bosom.
1300 Cursor M. 17890
To our lord Jesus Christ e blisse.
1380 _WYCLIF_ Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 249
Christian men should bless to Cer at pursuen hem here.
1382 Gen. i. 21
And God..blisside to hem, seiynge, Growith, etc.
Ibid. xii. 3,
I shal blis to thoo that blissen thee.
1590 _SHAKES._ Mids. N. IV. ii. 14
"A Paramour is (God blesse vs) a thing of nought."
1646 _MILTON_ Sonn. xi. 5
"Cries the stall-reader, â??Bless us! what a word on A title-page is this!â??"
1709 _STEELE_ Tatler No. 25 10
"Bless me! Sir, there's no Room for a Question."
1752 _C. LENNOX_ Fem. Quix. I. III. v. 161
â??Lord bless me, madam!â?? said Lucy, excessively astonished.
1844 _DICKENS_ Mart. Chuz. v. 50
â??Bless my life!â?? said Mr. Pecksniff, looking up.
1849 Dav. Copp. xii. 138
â??Bless and save the manâ??..â??how he talks!â??
1851 _RUSKIN_ King Gold. Riv. i. (1856) 12
â??Bless my soul!â?? said Schwartz when he opened the door.
1588 _SHAKES._ L.L.L. II. i. 77
"God bless my Ladies, are they all in Miser."
Idem, V. i. (1775) 67
"Bless her heart! good lady!"
1840 _MARRYAT_ Poor Jack xxix,
"Bless you, my child, bless you!"
1872 _RUSKIN_ Fors Clav. II. xx. 8
"The Colonel might have said â??Bless you, my children,â?? in the tenderest
tones."
1615 _T. ADAMS_ Black Dev. 71
"He would bless himself to think that so little a thing could extend itself
to such a capacity."
1665 _PEPYS_ Diary 1 Apr.,
"How my Lord Treasurer did bless himself, crying he could do no more, etc."
1812 _JANE AUSTEN_ Mansf. Park xviii,
"Could Sir Thomas look in upon us just now, he would bless himself."
1838 _DICKENS_ O. Twist xiii,
"An emphatic and earnest desire to be â??blessedâ?? if she would.
1878 _H. SMART_ Play or Pay viii. (ed. 3) 156
"Fuming, blessing himself, dashing himself."
1589 _R. HARVEY_ Pl. Perc. (1860) 33
"My quarter staffe, is it not a bless-begger think you?
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