MSGID: 1:153/716.0 02362881   
   REPLY: 2:221/6.0 6015bac0   
   CHRS: IBMPC 2   
   Hi, Anton!  Recently you wrote in a message to Mike Powell:   
      
   AS>  Not quite, on account of grin's negative connotations.   
   AS>  Consider, if you will, Son Houses's great song "Grinnin'   
   AS>  in your face".   
      
   MP>  Well, I did not say it meant "polite smile."  :)   
      
   AS>  I appeal to the dictionary:   
      
   AS>  grin:   
   AS>       [root]35. Cf. Groan.]   
      
      
             Derived, according to one of the sources I consulted, from a Middle   
   English word meaning "grimace".  Very interesting, either way....  :-)   
      
      
      
   AS>  1. To show the teeth, as a dog; to snarl.   
   AS>       [1913 Webster]   
      
      
             With some animals it's a threatening gesture... but people may show   
   their teeth for various reasons, as noted below.   
      
      
      
   AS>  2. To set the teeth together and open the lips, or to   
   AS>  open the mouth and withdraw the lips from the teeth,   
   AS>  so as to show them, as in laughter, scorn, or pain.   
   AS>       [1913 Webster]   
      
      
      
   AS>  smile:   
   AS>  1. The act of smiling; a peculiar change or brightening   
   AS>  of the face, which expresses pleasure, moderate joy,   
   AS>  mirth, approbation, or kindness; -- opposed to frown.   
   AS>       [1913 Webster]   
      
      
             In general I would explain a "grin" as a "broad smile", therefore I   
   find it interesting that the malevolent aspects are listed as #2 here.  AFAIK   
   dictionaries tend to list definitions in order of the frequency of use... and   
   the above "brightening of the face" is what comes to my mind first.   
      
      
      
   AS>  2. A somewhat similar expression of countenance,   
   AS>  indicative of satisfaction combined with malevolent   
   AS>  feelings, as contempt, scorn, etc; as, a scornful   
   AS>  smile.   
   AS>       [1913 Webster]   
      
      
      
   AS>  Now, didn't old Shakespear know how to use the word?   
      
      
             Of course, but the primary meaning may have changed since his time.   
   One of the difficulties with English usage is that it's a moving target.  :-Q   
      
      
      
   AS>  I myself wanted to defend my point by obseving that   
   AS>  a grin may be present in the rictus of a dead man,   
   AS>  whereas a smile does belong there.  It is the   
   AS>  collection of noir hard-boiled detectives I am   
   AS>  reading that must have prompted the morbid example.   
      
      
             Perhaps.  Connotations may be general or personal, and they tend to   
   vary from time to time & from place to place.  Recently Dallas & I borrowed a   
   number of Hollywood movies in which a broad smile/grin tells us the actor has   
   paid a lot of money to get his or her teeth capped, because the audience will   
   see them when the character being portrayed is in love... or is having a good   
   time... or is hoping friendliness & enthusiasm will attract potential buyers.   
      
             WRT the dead man, I guess his facial expression might depend on how   
   much time had elapsed before the body was discovered & on whether or not some   
   cosmetic improvements were added by an embalmer prior to the funeral....  :-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)   
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