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Latin and Greek Elements in English

Latin and Greek Elements in English. Lesson 19: Folk Etymology FOLK ETYMOLOGY : “the process by which a word changes form through a mistaken assimilation of that word to another word or form which it resembles” also called paronomasia (“mistaken word creation”)

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Latin and Greek Elements in English

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  1. Latin and Greek Elements in English Lesson 19: Folk Etymology • FOLK ETYMOLOGY: “the process by which a word changes form through a mistaken assimilation of that word to another word or form which it resembles” • also called paronomasia (“mistaken word creation”) • this is also the technical term for punning • folk etymology is the product of misunderstanding • i.e. basic human ignorance, especially of history • e.g. momento, for memento • a confusion of the Latin word memento (“remember!”) with the word “moment” (“importance, turning point”) • as in “the moment of truth” or “of great moment”; cf. momentous

  2. Latin and Greek Elements in English Lesson 19: Folk Etymology • e.g. laxadaisical • from the expression “alack the day!” (Shakespeare) • lackaday! (17th c.) > lackadaisy • lackadaisy > lackadaisical (18th c.), “given to affected sentiment” • later, “vapid, listless, showing a lack of interest” • finally laxadaisical (by confusion with lax, relax)

  3. Latin and Greek Elements in English Lesson 19: Folk Etymology • spitting image: from “spirit and image” • spirit (“likeness”) > spit (syncope) • chaise lounge: from chaise longue • from French longue (“long”) > lounge • lounge is from Lat. longis (“drowsy; lout, laggard”) • ultimately, from the Latin name Longinus, the name of the centurion who pierces the body of Christ in medieval passion plays and then falls asleep

  4. Latin and Greek Elements in English Lesson 19: Folk Etymology • humble pie: from umble pie • umbles are the entrails of a deer which are often served in a pie to servants • Lat. lumbulus (“loin”) > MedEng/OFr nombles • “a numble” is later misconstrued as “an/umble” • metanalysis: a/norange > an/orange, an/ekename > a/nickname • big cheese: from big chiz • Persian, and later Urdu (Indian language): chiz (“important thing”)

  5. Latin and Greek Elements in English Lesson 19: Folk Etymology SEE EXERCISE IV, p.116

  6. Latin and Greek Elements in English Lesson 20: Clips • CLIP: “a word which has lost its initial or final part (or both) but retains the same general meaning,” e.g. • computer terminology • boot < “bootstrapping program” or “bootstrap loader” • a program which loads the rest of the operating system • n.b. a metaphor from skiing • medicine • prep < prepare (e.g. for surgery) • doc < doctor • premie < premature baby

  7. Latin and Greek Elements in English Lesson 20: Clips • cars • gas < gasoline • lube < lubrication • semi < semi-trailer • others • memo < memorandum • con < convict • pen < penitentiary • phone < telephone • dis < (show) disrespect • patter < pater noster (qui es in caelis sanctificetur nomen …)

  8. Latin and Greek Elements in English Please note that your definitions of words in context (Part 4 of Quiz 3; on the back page) are now worth TWO points: (1) one for the etymological definition and (2) one for the contextual definition SEE THE DIATHESIS OF QUIZ 3 GO TO EXERCISE IV, p.119

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