The obscure word of today: "threshole"

[Stefan Ram]

I read the lyrics of a song in the Web:

Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole

. The word »threshole« is so very rare, it's not
in /any/ dictionary! So one would think it's a spelling
error for »threshold« or nonsense. But I found this source:

Yves Alain-Bois, "Threshole," in "Formless: A User's
Guide to Entropy," ed. Yves Alain Bois and Rosalind
Krauss, special issue, October, no. 78 (Fall 1996).

This source indicates that Gordon Matta-Clark used the term
»threshole« for one of his photographic works in 1973.
(According to another source, the term has been coined
by Yves Alain-Bois for Gordon Matta-Clark.)

Gordon Matta-Clark used it to denote the removale of
thresholds of apartments in abandoned buildings in the Bronx
that he did without authorization as a work of art.
He then made photographs of it, which are his actual products.

So, that single word in the song is a very specific
reference that, however, only few should be able to
decipher. (This Usenet post of mine is the only source
known to me that explains the connection between this
song and Matta-Clark.)

[Marius Hancu]

Post by Stefan Ram
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole

See perhaps:
http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858540106/

--
Marius Hancu

[Peter Duncanson [BrE]]

Post by Marius Hancu

Post by Stefan Ram
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole

http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858540106/

I have two thoughts about that use of "threshole".

It might be a misspelling or pronunciation spelling of "threshold".

"in my threshole" might mean "behind my door", that is "inside my own
castle". so that in the lyrics

Must be the reason why I'm king of my castle
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole

those two lines would be expressig the same idea.

[Whiskers]

Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]

Post by Marius Hancu

Post by Stefan Ram
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole

http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858540106/

I have two thoughts about that use of "threshole".
It might be a misspelling or pronunciation spelling of "threshold".
"in my threshole" might mean "behind my door", that is "inside my own
castle". so that in the lyrics
Must be the reason why I'm king of my castle
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole
those two lines would be expressig the same idea.

Having watched a couple of the YouTube videos
<https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=must+be+the+reason+why+i+am+king+of+my+castle>
I wonder if the song's words are meant to carry a sexual message,
particularly around the word 'hole'. (As far as I can make out the
vocals, the singer actually sings 'dress-hole' or 'tress-hole' rather
than 'threshole', but that may be accidental).

[musika]

Post by Whiskers

Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]

Post by Marius Hancu

Post by Stefan Ram
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole

http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858540106/

I have two thoughts about that use of "threshole".
It might be a misspelling or pronunciation spelling of "threshold".
"in my threshole" might mean "behind my door", that is "inside my own
castle". so that in the lyrics
Must be the reason why I'm king of my castle
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole
those two lines would be expressig the same idea.

Having watched a couple of the YouTube videos
<https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=must+be+the+reason+why+i+am+king+of+my+castle>
I wonder if the song's words are meant to carry a sexual message,
particularly around the word 'hole'. (As far as I can make out the
vocals, the singer actually sings 'dress-hole' or 'tress-hole' rather
than 'threshole', but that may be accidental).

Other versions are:
Must be the reason why I'm free in my trapped soul.
Must be the reason why I'm freeing my trapped soul.

[Whiskers]

Post by musika

Post by Whiskers

Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]

Post by Marius Hancu

Post by Stefan Ram
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole

http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858540106/

I have two thoughts about that use of "threshole".
It might be a misspelling or pronunciation spelling of "threshold".
"in my threshole" might mean "behind my door", that is "inside my own
castle". so that in the lyrics
Must be the reason why I'm king of my castle
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole
those two lines would be expressig the same idea.

Having watched a couple of the YouTube videos
<https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=must+be+the+reason+why+i+am+king+of+my+castle>
I wonder if the song's words are meant to carry a sexual message,
particularly around the word 'hole'. (As far as I can make out the
vocals, the singer actually sings 'dress-hole' or 'tress-hole' rather
than 'threshole', but that may be accidental).

Must be the reason why I'm free in my trapped soul.
Must be the reason why I'm freeing my trapped soul.

Ah, we seem to be getting to where my ears are alight.

[m***@att.net]

Post by Marius Hancu

Post by Stefan Ram
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole

http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858540106/
--
Marius Hancu

Many 'lyric sites' have words submitted by fans and listeners, and they are
chock full of mondegreens. A few lyric sites and Youtube versions of the
song provide the lyrics with the words given as 'in my trapped sole'.
Listening to the words as pronounced in the song does not seem
conclusive to my ears. If the writer doesn't know how to spell threshold,
then maybe the vocalist doesn't know how to pronounce it, either. Hard to
say which is more likely to be the authoritative wording...

[Whiskers]

Post by Stefan Ram
Must be the reason why I'm free in my threshole
. The word »threshole« is so very rare, it's not
in /any/ dictionary! So one would think it's a spelling
Yves Alain-Bois, "Threshole," in "Formless: A User's
Guide to Entropy," ed. Yves Alain Bois and Rosalind
Krauss, special issue, October, no. 78 (Fall 1996).
This source indicates that Gordon Matta-Clark used the term
»threshole« for one of his photographic works in 1973.
(According to another source, the term has been coined
by Yves Alain-Bois for Gordon Matta-Clark.)
Gordon Matta-Clark used it to denote the removale of
thresholds of apartments in abandoned buildings in the Bronx
that he did without authorization as a work of art.
He then made photographs of it, which are his actual products.
So, that single word in the song is a very specific
reference that, however, only few should be able to
decipher. (This Usenet post of mine is the only source
known to me that explains the connection between this
song and Matta-Clark.)

I'm not convinced that there is any connection at all. Is there any
evidence that the writer of the song was aware of the photographic work?

You could correct the lack of dictionary entries here
<http://www.abbreviations.com/threshole>
Know the definition for THRESHOLE? Know the meaning of THRESHOLE?
Don't keep it to yourself! Add it HERE!

Or of course tell the OED.

[Stefan Ram]

Post by Stefan Ram
. The word »threshole« is so very rare, it's not
in /any/ dictionary! So one would think it's a spelling

With regard to »threshold«:

It seems to have Old Norse roots (Old Norse »threskoldr«, Old
High German »driscubli«). So, in English, »thres« is not a
meaningful morpheme that can be freely combined to form words.

In »threshold«, the <s> is pronounced /S/, but in the song
where the singer sings »threshole« she seems to prounnce the
<s> as /s/. For »threshold«, it seems to me that etymologically
it is »thres-hold«, but today it's pronounced as »thresh-old«
(but also as »thresh-hold«, which makes use of the <h> twice.)

The Old Norse meaning is not known, it might mean »that
which one steps on« or »stepskin« (»Thres meaning tread or
step, and skoldr or skuld meaning shield or skin.«).
It is establish that »thres(h)« is related to »to treat«,
»to trample«, but the meaning of »skoldr« is less sure.

(German related: »The modern German word for "threshold" is
"Schwelle", a cognate of the English "sill".« »Threshold«
might be related to a German word »Trittschäuflein« [not
used today], which might be a popular etymology for »driscubli«.)