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Post by Roger on Dec 3, 2005 21:34:39 GMT -5
Totally off-topic but one of my great interests is the origin of English words. It is such a polyglot mixture of other, ancient European languages that it looked the other way when it saw Esperanto and became the Universal language One interesting niche in etymology is the subject of "lost positives"...words that exist now only in their negative sense. A couple of examples are 'inept' (we no longer use the word 'ept') and 'disheveled' (when was the last time you referred to a smartly dressed individual as 'sheveled'? Always interested in more of these, so if you've got one shout up.
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2005 21:52:37 GMT -5
Once upon a time I had the pleasure of taking an English class from Henry Beechold, PhD an entymologist with a great "stage presence." It was fascinating and started a whole new thought process for me. The connections between stages in the evolution of a word are enlightening. Take my name for example: Constantine is what the census taker wrote in 1840 when he counted the family of Michael macConsaidin. Michael was from Waterford Ireland and an ancestor of his was an O'Brien from Clare who legend says got the name Consaidin from the Romans who of course called him Constantine. Full circle. Sheveled? Can that be from Chevalier? A well dressed Knight Lets keep this going til they beg for the cooking posts again LOL
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Post by Roger on Dec 3, 2005 22:02:10 GMT -5
So no worries about Greeks bearing gifts then ;D?
"Disdain" is an interesting one if you like complex origins. Evidently the positive 'dain' part has origins in 'deign' meaning fit or worthy.
I think, without consulting any tomes that your suggestion for 'sheveled' probably has a chivalric origin.
Right...time for some lobster recipes ;D
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Post by Admin on Dec 3, 2005 22:09:29 GMT -5
There is only one lobster recipe.
Get one large pot, with lots of salty water, bring to boil, insert lobster(s) set timer for 20 minutes, remove lobster(s) from boiling water, serve immediately with proper de-shelling implements and lots of butter. For an unparalleled religious experience, save the tail for last.
hint: there is enough meat tucked away in the body to make a great stew.
Final note. The lobster is not screaming when it enters the pot, that horrible gut-wrenching sound is pressure equalization inside and out of the shell
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Post by Roger on Dec 3, 2005 22:11:32 GMT -5
Wow I'm totally 'gruntled' with that recipe ;D
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Post by Roger on Dec 3, 2005 22:23:58 GMT -5
"Unkempt" is another interesting one (if you're a word geek ;D) The 'kempt' part has the same root as 'comb' as in grooming. So if you're unkempt you're 'not well groomed'. I could go on...but someone would probably shoot me
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Post by Roger on Dec 3, 2005 22:34:51 GMT -5
Hmmmm....
"Roger" masc. proper name, from O.Fr. Rogier, from O.H.G. Hrotger, lit. "famous with the spear," from hruod- "fame, glory" + ger "spear." Slang meaning "male member" was popular c.1650-c.1870; hence the slang verb sense of "to copulate with (a woman)," attested from 1711. The use of the word in radio communication to mean "yes, I understand" is attested from 1941, from the U.S. military phonetic alphabet word for the letter -R-, in this case an abbreviation for "received." Said to have been used by the R.A.F. since 1938. The Jolly Roger pirate flag is first attested 1723, of unknown origin.
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Post by Roger on Dec 3, 2005 22:38:01 GMT -5
I think the 'Jolly Roger' sense must come from the first part of the explanation as above
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henry
Flightsimmer
Posts: 93
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Post by henry on Dec 5, 2005 12:28:11 GMT -5
hence the term " Rogered" ;D now where does the word nincumpoop come from? as its my middle name H
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Post by Roger on Dec 5, 2005 14:16:58 GMT -5
;D Henry from Fr. Henri, from L.L. Henricus, from Ger. Heinrich, from O.H.G. Heimerich, lit. "the ruler of the house," from heim "home" + rihhi "ruler." One of the most popular Norman names after the Conquest. So you do wear the trousers in your house
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henry
Flightsimmer
Posts: 93
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Post by henry on Dec 5, 2005 16:01:44 GMT -5
;D So you do wear the trousers in your house well my wifes are bigger ;D LOL H
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Post by Admin on Dec 5, 2005 18:27:33 GMT -5
Only one of my wives was bigger.
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