Words Origin

[aam1234]

I've always had an interest in words origin, sometimes when I look up a word the origin is more interesting than the definition.

Case in point. I was just writing a comment in a photo contest and used the word "kudos". Always thought it's an American slang word. When I looked it up, surprise surprise. Here's what MS Bookshelf said:

ku·dos (k?d?z´, -d?s´, -d?s´, ky?-) noun
Acclaim or praise for exceptional achievement.

[Greek, magical glory.]


Do you have such an interest, and do you have words that surprised you.


(Edit: corrected some words, opps.)

[RossW]

Are you familiar with http://www.wordwizard.com/ ?

[aam1234]

Cool site, bookmarked it. Thanks.

But it's more fun to find out about a word oneself. To use a photography analogy, such a site is like taking photos of birds in a cage :D

[Scottes]

You would love a copy of the Oxford Enlish Dictionary! Etymology can be very interesting, and the OED is packed with it.

[aam1234]

Thanks scottes. Will check out OED soon.

[aam1234]

et·y·mol·o·gy (?t´?-m?l??-j?) noun
Abbr. etym., etymol.

1.The origin and historical development of a linguistic form as shown by determining its basic elements, earliest known use, and changes in form and meaning, tracing its transmission from one language to another, identifying its cognates in other languages, and reconstructing its ancestral form where possible.
2.The branch of linguistics that deals with etymologies.


[Middle English etimologie, from Old French ethimologie, from Medieval Latin ethimologia, from Latin etymologia, from Greek etumologia : etumon, true sense of a word. See etymon + -logia, -logy.]
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Ok, this is a bit heavy, but still kind of fun.

Thanks Scottes, I learned a new word today.

[jfrancho]

Not really the same, but I like learning the origin of scientific nomenclature. It's interesting to see the name Psuedotropheus macrophthalmus, and know it means big eye fish belonging to the false tropheus (refers to algae feeding behavior) group. People often refer to these as their "Latin" name, though for fish, many are "latinized" Greek.

[aam1234]

Oh John, no word gave me more headache than the prefix "pseudo". Can't seem to find it (in the spelling I've used) in any dictionary. Glad you posted the correct spelling.

The other word that gives me a major trouble is "schedule". I always get it wrong :evil: until I use a spell checker (like right now :D )

[Scottes]

Here's the Word Of The Day page from the OED's web site:
http://www.oed.com/cgi/display/wotd

It is pretty heavy.

[jfrancho]

Oh John, no word gave me more headache than the prefix "pseudo". Can't seem to find it (in the spelling I've used) in any dictionary. Glad you posted the correct spelling.

The other word that gives me a major trouble is "schedule". I always get it wrong :evil: until I use a spell checker (like right now :D )Just remember this: when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking....

[aam1234]

Just remember this: when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking....

Hope it works more than...an E before a C...or something like that :D

[Citizensmith]

Just remember this: when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking....

I dont get it? Could you elucidate please.

[Citizensmith]

Hope it works more than...an E before a C...or something like that :D

I before E except after C? is that the rhyme?

[aam1234]

Ha ha, good one CS. And no I'm not going to post a definition of it.

[aam1234]

I before E except after C? is that the rhyme?

Yes, that one! Though it's more wrong than it is right...so funny.

[jfrancho]

I dont get it? Could you elucidate please.It's a thing my 6-year old son uses to remember the pronunciation while he learns to read. For example, "ea" is pronounce long e most of the time. The first vowel of the pair indicates which sound to use. Hence the goofy rhyme. Obviously, this only works 2/3 of the time in English.

[ayotnoms]

Does anyone know a site to get the origin of idioms such as, "The Whole Nine Yards".

Someone told me that was the length of a belt that held the ammunition for machine guns so when a gunner was asked if he threw everything at the enemy, he'd respond, "yeah, the whole nine yards"

The UK natives should have a boatload of these. When I'd tell a shocking story to an English friend, her surprised reaction would be, "Gordon Bennett". Who the !#$@ is Gordon Bennett??

:)

[aam1234]

Good idea Steve. I remember when I first joined this forum I asked a similar question (it was about the "two cents") and somebody posted a link to a site for such sayings.

[Scottes]

I before E except after C? is that the rhyme?
That's true only 47% of the time....

[Scottes]

Does anyone know a site to get the origin of idioms such as, "The Whole Nine Yards".
Here's one site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~genepool/meanings.htm

What I'd like is to find a list of meanings and origin to Cockney Rhyming Slang.


By the way, I highly recommend the book "The Mother Tongue" by Bill Bryson. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0380715430/qid=1136585440/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6900065-7956113?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
It's a great, and often hilarious, look at the English language (maybe more American than English, but certainly suitable to both).

[neil_r]

Possibly worth a look....

http://www.phrases.org.uk/index.html

N

[ayotnoms]

Thanks for the URLs guys.
Just click, and Bob's your Uncle :)

[neil_r]

What I'd like is to find a list of meanings and origin to Cockney Rhyming Slang.

Just ask, I am sure we will have the answer ;)

And remember you only use the first, non rhyming word, as in "That is a load on cobblers" or "Me plates are killing me"

N

[aam1234]

Would love to get a Cockney accent, would floor people at parties, ha ha.

[Citizensmith]

I'm originally from South East London, now living in Sacramento. The number of people who would have been sorely disappointed if I couldn't regale them with some Cockney idioms. :) I blame Mary Poppins personally.

[neil_r]

I blame Mary Poppins personally.

Dick Van Dyke's London accent was about as authentic as Henry Kissinger's American one :D

N

[Citizensmith]

Dick Van Dyke's London accent was about as authentic as Henry Kissinger's American one :D

N

Yeah but try actually persuading anyone of that. :)

[DAMphyne]

I live in the Peidmont area of NE Georgia.
Got any ideas on peidmont?