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   Paul Cantrell (inthehands@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 15-Jun-2024 03:06:00 JST Paul Cantrell

   • Ruth Malan
   • John Wehrle

   @CptSuperlative @RuthMalan
   I wonder! I’ve noticed this usage only in the past half decade or so. I don’t have the tools to do proper research, but a quick Google Books search shows it used in the “made smaller” sense from the 1600s all the way up until the mid-2010s, often in the sense of a deity humbling people who were sinful or arrogant.

   • Embed this notice
     Ruth Malan (ruthmalan@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 15-Jun-2024 03:27:23 JST Ruth Malan

     in reply to

     • John Wehrle

     @inthehands @CptSuperlative

     You might like this, from Steinbeck, then:

     “Receiving, on the other hand, if it be well done, requires a fine balance of self-knowledge and kindness. It requires humility and tact and great understanding of relationships. In receiving you cannot appear, even to yourself, better or stronger or wiser than the giver, although you must be wiser to do it well.

     It requires a self-esteem to receive — not self-love but just a pleasant acquaintance and liking for oneself.”

   • Embed this notice
     Ruth Malan (ruthmalan@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 15-Jun-2024 03:27:23 JST Ruth Malan

     in reply to

     • John Wehrle

     @inthehands @CptSuperlative

     That is… humility, as [implicated in] interpersonal sensitivity/awareness, has been a long time coming?? [actually, i’m sure it has always been there…] :)

   • Embed this notice
     Paul Cantrell (inthehands@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 15-Jun-2024 03:27:23 JST Paul Cantrell

     in reply to

     • Ruth Malan
     • John Wehrle

     @RuthMalan @CptSuperlative
     Oh yes, all that is understood and age old. It’s the specific word that’s under my skin. The way Steinbeck uses the word “humility“ in that passage is entirely consistent with my understanding. Note however that he never uses the word “humbled“ to mean “already possessing humility“ or “reminded of one’s humility.“