As I wrote the title for todays post- I thought- dead? why dead? Well as it turns out, according to the online dictionary, its influence could have come from the "do not cross line" from civil war prisons. Evidently if the line was crossed the person didn't come back alive.
Okay interesting- we use it now as a term for time limits. Its amazing how language changes meanings over time!
So now back to the post at hand- tomorrow is the application deadline at my college for the masters program in English- as most of you know I have already applied for this. So as soon as I find out I will be posting to let you all know if I made the list.
Funny how I feel this deadline is no different than a submissions deadline. Its always the hurry up and wait game. I think its the waiting that sets my anticipation into spiraling, days pass and I bite my nails- more days pass and I doubt myself, more days pass and finally I decide that if I am meant to get what ever I am aiming for then it will happen. So I let it go, because if I don't I will drive myself crazy.
Do you ever wonder what a word like "deadline" will mean hundreds of years from now in a different way of life than what we know? Go ahead- speculate in the comments give me your thoughts on this as I am very curious what you think.
Okay interesting- we use it now as a term for time limits. Its amazing how language changes meanings over time!
So now back to the post at hand- tomorrow is the application deadline at my college for the masters program in English- as most of you know I have already applied for this. So as soon as I find out I will be posting to let you all know if I made the list.
Funny how I feel this deadline is no different than a submissions deadline. Its always the hurry up and wait game. I think its the waiting that sets my anticipation into spiraling, days pass and I bite my nails- more days pass and I doubt myself, more days pass and finally I decide that if I am meant to get what ever I am aiming for then it will happen. So I let it go, because if I don't I will drive myself crazy.
Do you ever wonder what a word like "deadline" will mean hundreds of years from now in a different way of life than what we know? Go ahead- speculate in the comments give me your thoughts on this as I am very curious what you think.
26 comments:
Fascinating, Summer! I'd never thought about the origin of deadline- thanks for sharing :)
Um, no phone signal? lol, you know, how the line goes dead? :o)
I have never thought about it. But, you have a valid point. Some words and expressions have changed dramatically.
Especially slang words. Teenagers today use the strangest words to express themselves. For instance, "Sick" doesn't mean you're ill to them it means something awesome. Strange.
Good luck, Summer.
Michael
Jessica- That could honestly happen! Great point.
Deadlines are great as long as I plan ahead. Otherwise they kill me. :P
Hm, deadline could mean anything in the future. Maybe the name of a nice corrosive drink or a breed of dog. You never know:~)
Wow, I never gave much thought to how ominous that word sounds!
Sharde-A corrosive drink- LOL- I could see that- but not really the dog. great input.
Ugh! I have those for school too! Good luck with your deadlines! (The things we do for a good education. *sigh*)
Oh gosh!!! I can't think of what other meaning deadlines might mean in the future! I've got a feeling whatever it may evolve into it will still strike fear in most people's minds!! LOL! Take care
x
A deadline is a demarcation between the old and the new. You're finished. And now can begin something else...
A future deadline, Hum?... a line where out dated robots go to stand for recycling. My idea anyway :)
I'll be sending positive fairy, finger crosses for the entry :)
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
Nice post.
Beautiful picture.
Jules- Could be!
I wanted to add a little more to your research on this as I have a book on Word and Phrase Origins. It also agrees with you on the whole dead line thing where people were killed if they crossed the line. However, it also goes a little further to explain how it came to be used in writing:
Newspaper reporters and editors applied to word to a time when a story had to be completed. If the story wasn't in by that time, it was in effect killed or dead for that edition."
I hadn't thought of this before, so I will temporarily put on my horror hat. I didn't even know I had one.
The dead. Since the war a hundred years ago the dead had their own line and I was about to cross it.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium, Special .99 through April 30
Nancy~ I'm officially afraid of the day that comes LOL
Michael Offut~ Nice addition- thank you so much!
Deadline--hmmm! Maybe when there's no connection between your vehicle and a GPS satellite. :P
Golden eagle~ Ha! that works LOL
Deadline is a great word to check. I thought a lot about benchmark - I spent a long time teaching to them. Good luck I hope your news is good. I will, honestly, get back to reading just as soon as I stop chewing on my nails and hitting refresh on my e-mail. Why do I do that? Emails, in full submission terms, would be the worst case scenario ;)
it's an interesting thought. I like it! Although it's become so connected to time now, that I wonder if the meaning will change... hmmm... :D
I think it will be an ominous word referring what will happen to our world if computer power shuts down.
Alex- yeah I could see this ending up referring to technology in some way.
Interesting the things you learn about where words originate!
Thanks for the insteresting fact about deadline. I never thought about it before. =D
Hope everything goes well with your master's app. Can't wait to mind out.
deadline: the demarcation of the beginning of a period of time during which you will worry yourself to death waiting for a reply
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