Preterite (was Re: OK 2b Luddite?)

[Paul Mackin]

On Tue, 2004-10-19 at 22:10, Steve Maas wrote:
> P.s use of preterite is not a first. The OED lists as a meaning of preterite 
> "One who is passed over or not elected by God." There's only one citation, 
> to the May 1864 _Fraser's Magazine_ (You gotta love it -- "The reprobates 
> who are damned because they were always meant to be damned, and the 
> preterites who are damned because they were never meant to be saved.")
> 
> The OED, again, lists as a meaning (really, two closely-related meanings) of 
> preterition "The passing over of the non-elect; non-election to salvation."  
> The first citation is to the indispensable _Anatomy of Melancholy_ (Burton, 
> 1621; III, iv, II, iii), "Our indiscreet pastors .. speak so much of 
> election, predestination, reprobation _ab aeterno_, subtraction of grace, 
> preterition, voluntary permission, &c."
> 

Might have known it. Interesting. 

By the way there's also that Herero phrase "mba-kayere" said to mean "I
am passed over." It seems to take on a salutary connotation very near
the end of the book when the half-brothers Tchitcherine and Enzian pass
each other in the forest unrecognized. Bloodshed is thereby prevented.
Geli had cast some kind of spell. Enzian's companions were reciting or
chanting mba-kayere. 

Being passed over in the good sense is like in The Passover I would
think rather than like preterition, the condition to which the fate of
the Hereros is likened to.

There may be some confusion somewhere.

Topic for study.




> Paul Mackin
> >Pynchon appropriated the grammatical and general term "preterite"
> >meaning past or past tense to apply to the poor and wretched of the
> >earth, by analogy with those who are passed over, not Elected for
> >Salvation, under the theological doctrine of Preterition.
> 
> Joseph Tracy
> >I sort of deduced something like that but am confused, because despite a
> >pretty good familiarity with theological language, I am un familiar with
> >the term Preterition. I know the term perdition, meaning lost, but it's a
> >different root word. Is Preterition a Calvinist term? any more info on the
> >history?
> 
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