[lit-ideas] In the Name of Adam Simpleton

  • From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 1 May 2004 11:38:03 EDT

In a message dated 4/30/2004 8:36:13 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
But if you will recall my MIT lecture of last year ("Improper
Nouns: Words Gone Wild"), and my latest book, _Naming Names Is the Name of
the Game_, Belle Books, 2004), and my monograph of last week: ("Apparently
You Are", copies available from The Reed Institute) you will see that I make
allowance for sloppy languaging by advertizers.
Prof. R. Paul, of Reed (College, Portland, OR) has kindly provided -- for a 
modicum -- the above-referenced monograph. 
(I missed the conference in Hawaii). 

Indeed, a rather short monograph ("Hence 'mono-', stoopid"), and 
double-spaced, but the 'Appendix' seems straight from the OED (or some such 
source)  
(Epigraph: "Ye shall coppie and past", and occupying some 30 more A4 pages. 
Here 
below. Has some interesting quotes, too. 

My favourite, "In the name of Adam Simpleton" -- one of the only occurrences 
of the formula "in the [PROPER] name of" (that, and in the name of "Christ") 
(as opposed to the more generalized "in the [common noun] of [common noun]" 
formula. 

I found a good one that I dedicate to J. Evans:

1792 M. WOLLSTONECRAFT Vindic. Rights Woman ii. 54 

"In the name of truth and common sense, why should not one woman acknowledge 
that she can take more exercise than another?"

and one using the very formula Geary was discussing: "in the name of 
religion, [let's call it a crusade]". 

    1862 H. D. THOREAU Cape Cod (1865) x. 234    
     "This was a good argument enough, if he had not put it in the name of 
religion."

_he_ possibly being one of them Portuguese fishermen at Cape Cod?

Geary writes

>you will see that I make
>allowance for sloppy languaging by advertizers.

which comes out as one of his typical understatements, seeing the idiom was 
so generously used by Shakespeare on the stage ("the first of them advertizers, 
you stoopid"):

1616 SHAKESPEARE All's Well (1623) II. iii. 166 

       Both my reuenge and hate Loosing vpon thee, in the name of iustice, 
Without all termes of pittie. 

1598 SHAKESPEARE 1 Hen. IV III. ii. 153 

       This in the name of God I promise heere. 

1616 SHAKESPEARE Merry W. (1623) III. v. 92 

      To carry mee in the name of foule Cloathes to Datchet-lane. 

1616 SHAKESPEARE Wint. T. (1623) III. ii. 59 

      Which comes to me in name of Fault. 

1616 SHAKESPEARE Wint. T. (1623) III. iii. 100 

        Name of mercy, when was this, boy? 

Cheers,

JL

----

From

J. M. Geary, 'Apparenty You Are' -- Reed College. Mimeograph -- with an 
Appendix.

Appendix.

[From the OED?]

in 's name, in the name of . In early use also with o (see ON prep.) and on.  
 

Indicating the assigned or stated ownership of a thing. 

1850 Punch 18 91 

If a box of cigars has not been left here in the name of Adam Simpleton? 

1888 Law Times 85 120/2 

A sum of consols standing in the name of J. K.,..deceased.

In support of, to meet the demands of (a cause, an abstract principle, a 
belief, etc.). Also: on the pretext of. 
 
1586 SIR P. SIDNEY Arcadia (1593) V. sig. Qq4, 

This peticion I make, euen in the name of iustice. 

1616 SHAKESPEARE All's Well (1623) II. iii. 166 

Both my reuenge and hate Loosing vpon thee, in the name of iustice, Without 
all termes of pittie. 

1632 J. WEBSTER & W. ROWLEY Cure for Cuckold (1661) I. i. sig. B4, 

Not one amongst us, but would be proud to wear the character of noble 
Friendship. In the name of which..expose to us the grief that troubles you. 

1739 H. BAKER & J. MILLER tr. Molière Cheats of Scapin II. v, in Wks. IX. 215 

In the name of Friendship, Leander, don't use him ill. 

1792 M. WOLLSTONECRAFT Vindic. Rights Woman ii. 54 

In the name of truth and common sense, why should not one woman acknowledge 
that she can take more exercise than another? 

1862 H. D. THOREAU Cape Cod (1865) x. 234 

This was a good argument enough, if he had not put it in the name of 
religion. 

1881 W. GLADSTONE in Times 8 Oct. 6/5 This he says he wants, not as 
protection, but in the name of fair trade. 

1922 Flight 14 366/1 

In the name of economy, the R.A.F. has had to be content with machines built 
during the War and â??reconditionedâ??. 

1967 S. TERKEL Division Street VIII. 182 

It offends me terribly to see slovenly behavior in the name of a good cause. 

1995 Interzone Feb. 12/2 

Lena took three months off work to travel to Nigeria in the name of 
technology transfer.

Citing the authority of, acting as deputy for; on account of, on behalf of. 
Also with of, on, in one's own name: on one's own behalf, independently, 
without the authority of another. 
 
1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 10155 
e pope..sende to all e bissopes..at entredit in his name. 

1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.): 3 Kings (Bodl. 959) xxi. 8 Sche wroot lettris 
of e name of Acab & signede hem with his ryng. 

1405 Rolls of Parl. III. 605/2 To fulfill all maner accordez..made..be..our 
Attournees, or be twa of them in oure name. 

1444 Rolls of Parl. V. 108/2 To sue an Action of dette in his owne name. 

1505 in W. Fraser Chiefs of Colquhoun (1869) I. 318 One the name and behalf 
of the said Schir Johne. 

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. lxiiijv, Sir Thomas More made a brief 
oracion in the name of the citee. 

1586 in W. Fraser Red Bk. Grandtully (1868) II. 131 That the said Sir Thomas 
nor na vtheris keparis and detenaris of the saidis hous in his name sall on na 
wayis [etc.] 

1631 W. GOUGE Gods Arrowes v. Ded. 406 You who in the name of the rest were 
Solliciters in this business. 

1686 tr. J. Chardin Trav. Persia 13 The Envoy, having the Grand Vizier's word 
in the Name of his Highness, return'd to Genoa. 

1754 BP. T. SHERLOCK Disc. (1759) I. i. 2 St. Peter, in the Name of all made 
answer, Lord, to whom shall we go? 

1849 MACAULAY Hist. Eng. II. vi. 17 A speech which the Bishop of Valence, in 
the name of the Gallican clergy, addressed..to Lewis the Fourteenth. 

1891 Law Times Rep. 63 765/1 The defendants were liable as principals, as 
they had contracted in their own names. 

1910 Encycl. Brit. I. 765/1 In 1864 Altona was occupied in the name of the 
German Confederation. 

1960 Daily Mirror 21 June 9 One of them..chose the teams and sent off the 
coupon in her own name. 

1995 Flight Internat. 1 Mar. 5/2 US â??whistle blowerâ?? legislation..allows an 
individual to bring an action in the name of the US Government against a 
company accused of wrongdoing.

Under the character or designation of; as an instance of, by way of; in the 
form of. 
 
OE West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) x. 41 

Se e underfeh witegan on witegan naman he onfeh witygan mede. 

1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.): Matt. (Douce 369(2)) x. 41 He that resceyueth 
a prophete in the name of a prophete. 

1400 in K. W. Engeroff Untersuchung Usages of Winchester (1914) 80 

Euerych tannere..shal..twey shullynges by e ere, and to e clerke a peny in e 
name of talage. 

1425 (c1400) Mandeville's Trav. (Titus) 114 ei brennen his body in name of 
penance. 

1464 Rolls of Parl. V. 559/2 Maire..shall pay..x li. in name of a peyne. 

1467-8 Rolls of Parl. V. 581/2 To have to hir for terme of hir life, in name 
of her Dower. 

1500 (?c1450) Merlin 59 Oure lorde hym comaunded to make a table in the name 
of that table at the whiche he was sette in the house of Symond leprouse. 
 
1548 BP. J. HOOPER Declar. 10 Commandm. ix. in Wks. (1843) 372 To lose his 
head, in the name of a pain. 

1616 SHAKESPEARE Merry W. (1623) III. v. 92 To carry mee in the name of foule 
Cloathes to Datchet-lane. 

1616 SHAKESPEARE Wint. T. (1623) III. ii. 59 Which comes to me in name of 
Fault. 

1638 Edinb. City Arch. (Moses Bundle) No. 25. 1033 Tuentie punds..in name of 
prentiss fie. 

1642 tr. J. Perkins Profitable Bk. (new ed.) iii. §209. 64 To deliver..the 
deed unto the feoffee in the name of seisin of the same land. 

1796 R. SOUTHEY Lett. from Spain (1799) 418 These men lay the people under 
contribution in the name of alms.
 
Invoking or expressing reliance on or devotion to a divine being. 
 
OE Crist I 413 

u gebletsad leofa, e in dryhtnes noman dugeum cwome heanum to hrore. 

OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xxviii. 19 

Baptizantes eos in nomine patris et fili et spiritu sancti : fulwuande hia in 
noma fadores & sunu & halges gastes. 

OE Blickling Homilies 141 u sylest urum leomum ræste, foron e hie on inum 
noman wunnon. 

1200 Ormulum 16813 

He ne wass nohht et O Cristess name fullhtnedd. 

1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine 1431 Feole..oleden anan dea i e nome of drihtin. 

1333 WILLIAM OF SHOREHAM Poems (1902) 9 Ich cristni e ine e uader name, And 
sone, and holy gostes. 

1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.): Matt. (Douce 369(2)) xviii. 20 

Where two or three shulen be gedrid in my name. 

1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 266 Now..wil we..In crist nam our bok 
be-gin. 

1413 Will in R. W. Chambers & M. Daunt Bk. London Eng. (1931) 217 In the name 
of god, Amen... I, Richard ong [etc.]. 

1500 Liber Pluscardensis (Marchm.) I. 336 In the name of the Fadir and the 
Son and the Hali Gaist. 

1500 Sidrak & Bokkus (Lansd.) 794 e venim of addre or of snake: In my Goddes 
name I wole it take. 1534 T. MORE Dialoge of Comfort I, in Wks. 1164/1 That in 
the name of Jesus euery knee bee bowed. 

1598 SHAKESPEARE 1 Hen. IV III. ii. 153 This in the name of God I promise 
heere. 

1662 in R. Pitcairn Criminal Trials Scotl. (1833) III. 607, I shoot yon man 
in the Divellis name. 

1738 J. WESLEY Psalms VI. v, Or in the Name of Jesus, chase My Troublers all 
away. 

1841 R. W. EMERSON Ess. 1st Ser. i. 23 A haughty beneficiary, begging in the 
name of God. 

1886 R. F. BURTON tr. Arabian Nights' Entertainm. VIII. cxliii. 178 Then he 
said to her, â??Sleep, in the name of Allah.â?? 

1916 J. JOYCE Portrait of Artist iii. 111 A blessing..which I wish you from 
my heart, one and all, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy 
Ghost. Amen. 

1992 Times Lit. Suppl. 28 Feb. 12/3 We are two gathered together, to whom it 
is promised that, when so gathered in the name of Christ, He is in their midst.
 
In solemn adjurations: calling to witness God, Christ, the saints, the devil 
or hell, or (later) some other thing. Later freq. as int. or exclamatory 
phrase. In early use also with on (obs.). a God's name: see A prep.1 10. in 
God's 
name: see GOD n. 11. what in the name of: see WHAT pron. 9. in the name of 
wonder: see WONDER n. 6h. 
 
OE Charter: Ealhburg to Christ Church, Canterbury (Sawyer 1195) in F. E. 
Harmer Sel. Eng. Hist. Docs. 9th & 10th Cent. (1914) 8 Ic Ealhburg bebiade 
Eadwealde minem mege an Godes naman & an ealra his haligra et he is wel healde 
his 
dei. 

OE Laws: Judicia Dei (Durham) VI. i. 412 Ic eow e halsige on Fæder naman & on 
Suna naman. 

1275 (?a1200) LAAMON Brut (Calig.) 10136 Luces e king..be hine on godes nomen 
[c1300 Otho a godes name] at him god ue. 

1375 William of Palerne 306 Witerly dorst he nout werne e wille of his lord, 
but graunted him goddeli on godis holy name Forto worchen his wille. 

1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 11915 Vnto your kyth, on godds nam, I bidd 
yow at yee nu wend ham. 

1450 Alphabet of Tales 264 In e Name, speke, ou yong childe, & tell if is 
dekyn did is trispas! 

1470 MALORY Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll.) 306 â??In the devyls name,â?? seyde 
the 
damesel. 

1500 (?a1450) Gesta Rom. (BL Add.) 398 In the name of god and seynte 
marie..go and venge the dethe of thy mayster! 

1616 SHAKESPEARE Wint. T. (1623) III. iii. 100 Name of mercy, when was this, 
boy? 

1642 View of Printed Bk. intituled Observations 20 In the name of goodnesse 
then, what is that which the people speak of? 

1720 J. CLARKE Ess. Educ. Youth 19 In the Name of Wisdom, what can be the 
Meaning? 

1819 SHELLEY Cenci IV. i. 62 Earth, in the name of God, let her food be 
Poison. 

1875 B. JOWETT tr. Plato Dialogues (ed. 2) I. 212 What, in the name of 
goodness, do you come hither to teach? 

1917 E. R. BURROUGHS Princess of Mars xx. 222, I am starving. In the name of 
humanity open to us. 

1957 F. HOYLE Black Cloud (1960) 150 â??It's almost time to go and try again, 
if anyone wants to. Does anyone want to?â?? â??In heaven's name, no!â?? said 
Leicester. 

1995 E. TOMAN Dancing in Limbo ix. 228 What in the name of all that is holy 
was going on?
 

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