[字辨] When "bully" was still a good word
Yes, the word bully used to denote something positive.
bully 這個字可說是近代的buzzword，也就是以暴力、惡作劇等手段欺負弱者的「霸凌」行為
He's a bully.
She's a victim of campus bully.
然而，我今天學到：bully 曾經有 good、superb的意思。
這讓我想到週末看了電影「金盞花大酒店」（The best exotic Marigold Hotel）中，
（以下有雷，不想被劇透者請不要點入）
愛負面思考又無法以開放心胸接受印度生活的家庭主婦，愛慕同行的法官。
（其實我覺得她只是在轉移自己對生活的不滿）
某天她忍不住出去找他，並一起吃飯，此時她幾乎要告白了，
法官心細，於是在對方還沒說白之前，就坦承：
" I'm gay."
她愣住了，抱著一絲絲希望（與尷尬）問道："Do you mean, you are HAPPY?" （台詞大約如此）
因為gay在20世紀後半葉之前，都還是指「快樂」的意思。
參考Wikipedia的說明：
1. The term was originally used to refer to feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy".
2. The term's use as a reference to homosexuality may date as early as the late 19th century, but its use gradually increased in the 20th century.
因此，在閱讀所謂經典文學名作（如莎士比亞）時，就能看到gay字作為happy用的句子。
在黑白電影中也會聽到：Oh, I'm so gay! 的對白。
-------------------------------- 此為坦承自己離題很遠的分隔線-------------------------------
回到bully一字，
Wikipedia 說
This term was coined by President Theodore Roosevelt, who referred to the White House as a "bully pulpit", by which he meant a terrific platform from which to advocate an agenda.
Roosevelt famously used the word bully as an adjective meaning "superb" or "wonderful", a more common usage in his time than it is today. (Another expression which survives from this era is "bully for you", synonymous with "good for you".)。
美國國會也這樣說 （參考C-Span Glossary: bully pulpit）
根據字源字典，bully來自boel，意思是lover；
originally "sweetheart," applied to either sex, from Dutch boel "lover; brother,
但後來意思逐漸轉為負面，可能是從 lover --> 轉變為保護妓女的保鑣，其中可能的暴力行為，演變成現代的bully霸凌含意。
其實我倒覺得，老羅斯福總統之所以這樣用bully一字，是因為 bull 這個字。雖然bully跟bull並非有字源關係。
老羅斯福競選時，遭到暗殺攻擊，但他自稱不會影響選擇，因為他「壯的跟『公麋鹿』一樣』(... when Roosevelt ran for President as its candidate in 1912, after declaring himself as "fit as a bull moose." 參考國會詞彙表)
或許他很愛bull這個字，於是把bull「變成」形容詞 "bull-y" ，像bull一樣猛，豈不superb、wonderful？ （純屬個人臆測，除非我能搭時光機去訪問他囉）
------------------------------------
會學到這個字，是因為今天在Washington Post 看到一句
"It’s time for Obama to use the bully pulpit."
當老羅斯福總統說白宮是bully pulpit的時候，指的是白宮擁有the best lectern to promote an agenda。
pulpit 是講道用的講壇。
參考：Use of the Bully Pulpit
The concept of the Bully Pulpit is not found in the Constitution or any actual law, it instead developed as an extension of the president's position and meaning in American society. Coined by President Teddy Roosevelt, the bully pulpit is the use of the prestige and public authority of the president to advocate for a particular agenda or idea, not by legislation but by persuasion of the American people. Public speeches in which the president may ask the American people to undertake a specific request, not because of a government action, but because of a presidential appeal, is an example of the bully pulpit. The ability to use the 'Bully Pulpit' is based purely on the president's moral authority and respect for the office of the presidency.
BBC新聞：Obama連任就職典禮
-----------------------------
前面Wikipedia提到的 "bully for you"，這個字源字典也說了
The expression meaning "worthy, jolly, admirable" (especially in 1864 U.S. slang bully for you!) is first attested 1680s, and preserves an earlier, positive sense of the word.
bully 這個字可說是近代的buzzword，也就是以暴力、惡作劇等手段欺負弱者的「霸凌」行為
He's a bully.
She's a victim of campus bully.
然而，我今天學到：bully 曾經有 good、superb的意思。
這讓我想到週末看了電影「金盞花大酒店」（The best exotic Marigold Hotel）中，
（以下有雷，不想被劇透者請不要點入）
愛負面思考又無法以開放心胸接受印度生活的家庭主婦，愛慕同行的法官。
（其實我覺得她只是在轉移自己對生活的不滿）
某天她忍不住出去找他，並一起吃飯，此時她幾乎要告白了，
法官心細，於是在對方還沒說白之前，就坦承：
" I'm gay."
她愣住了，抱著一絲絲希望（與尷尬）問道："Do you mean, you are HAPPY?" （台詞大約如此）
因為gay在20世紀後半葉之前，都還是指「快樂」的意思。
參考Wikipedia的說明：
1. The term was originally used to refer to feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy".
2. The term's use as a reference to homosexuality may date as early as the late 19th century, but its use gradually increased in the 20th century.
因此，在閱讀所謂經典文學名作（如莎士比亞）時，就能看到gay字作為happy用的句子。
在黑白電影中也會聽到：Oh, I'm so gay! 的對白。
-------------------------------- 此為坦承自己離題很遠的分隔線-------------------------------
回到bully一字，
Wikipedia 說
This term was coined by President Theodore Roosevelt, who referred to the White House as a "bully pulpit", by which he meant a terrific platform from which to advocate an agenda.
Roosevelt famously used the word bully as an adjective meaning "superb" or "wonderful", a more common usage in his time than it is today. (Another expression which survives from this era is "bully for you", synonymous with "good for you".)。
美國國會也這樣說 （參考C-Span Glossary: bully pulpit）
根據字源字典，bully來自boel，意思是lover；
originally "sweetheart," applied to either sex, from Dutch boel "lover; brother,
但後來意思逐漸轉為負面，可能是從 lover --> 轉變為保護妓女的保鑣，其中可能的暴力行為，演變成現代的bully霸凌含意。
其實我倒覺得，老羅斯福總統之所以這樣用bully一字，是因為 bull 這個字。雖然bully跟bull並非有字源關係。
老羅斯福競選時，遭到暗殺攻擊，但他自稱不會影響選擇，因為他「壯的跟『公麋鹿』一樣』(... when Roosevelt ran for President as its candidate in 1912, after declaring himself as "fit as a bull moose." 參考國會詞彙表)
或許他很愛bull這個字，於是把bull「變成」形容詞 "bull-y" ，像bull一樣猛，豈不superb、wonderful？ （純屬個人臆測，除非我能搭時光機去訪問他囉）
------------------------------------
會學到這個字，是因為今天在Washington Post 看到一句
"It’s time for Obama to use the bully pulpit."
當老羅斯福總統說白宮是bully pulpit的時候，指的是白宮擁有the best lectern to promote an agenda。
pulpit 是講道用的講壇。
參考：Use of the Bully Pulpit
The concept of the Bully Pulpit is not found in the Constitution or any actual law, it instead developed as an extension of the president's position and meaning in American society. Coined by President Teddy Roosevelt, the bully pulpit is the use of the prestige and public authority of the president to advocate for a particular agenda or idea, not by legislation but by persuasion of the American people. Public speeches in which the president may ask the American people to undertake a specific request, not because of a government action, but because of a presidential appeal, is an example of the bully pulpit. The ability to use the 'Bully Pulpit' is based purely on the president's moral authority and respect for the office of the presidency.
BBC新聞：Obama連任就職典禮
He has used the biggest bully pulpit he will ever get to punch home a feisty message that contained not an ounce of compromise.
When Teddy Roosevelt, who was president from 1901-09, spoke of the White House "bully pulpit" he didn't mean "bully" as in "pushing people around", but simply the old-fashioned sense of "fantastic", enormous" and "unbeatable".
President Barack Obama seems to agree this ability to preach to a nation is the source of his power, really his biggest weapon.
-----------------------------
前面Wikipedia提到的 "bully for you"，這個字源字典也說了
The expression meaning "worthy, jolly, admirable" (especially in 1864 U.S. slang bully for you!) is first attested 1680s, and preserves an earlier, positive sense of the word.
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