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Discussing the origins of words and phrases, in English or any other language. Powered by @r_channels @reddit2telegram
Origins of daily spelling
Obviously daily comes from adding -ly to day, but really I’m curious about why it is spelled with an i and not a dayly.
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Y’all think “skedaddle” comes from people saying “let’s get outta here” really fast?
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Pride related question
What is the etymology for "fag", a stick or bundle of sticks, also becoming slang for queer men?
https://redd.it/13xyqio
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TIL (today I learned) that Bing does not stand for Bing Is Not Google. -------- (GNU does stand for GNU's Not Unix)
so TIL (today I learned) that
Bing does not stand for Bing Is Not Google.
- (GNU does stand for GNU's Not Unix)
- (PINE does stand for Pine is not Elm)
> As soon as it rebranded its search engine in Bing, many said that Microsoft called it that to get the message across:
> Bing Is Not Google.
> Microsoft executives never confirmed this.
> In fact, the name Bing was chosen after a long group work. The name was chosen because it is short and memorable. ..........
https://redd.it/13xo962
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Does anyone know any more examples of English prefixes that are taken from multiple languages?
For example, some words with a prefix meaning « same » use the Greek iso-, as in isotonic, and some use the Latin equi-, as in equilateral.
For the prefix meaning « water », you sometimes see the Greek hydro-, as in hydration, and sometimes the Latin aqua-, as in aquarium.
Any other examples?
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Why are election officials called "returning officers"?
In many elections, especially in Canada in my anecdotal experience, election officials are referred to as "returning officers" or ROs. For example, disqualifications or sanctions for election fraud may be issued by the Chief Returning Officer or CRO.
A cursory search on Google, Wikipedia, and Wiktionary give no insight into the etymology of this term other than the secondary Wiktionary definition of an officer who makes "returns of writs". A search for this phrase returns an Elections Canada page that describes it in more detail: https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=bkg&document=writ&lang=e#sec7
It turns out that in multiple Commonwealth countries, writs, or orders, are issued to each electoral district, to have returning officers conduct the elections. The result is written on the back of the original writ, and the writ is returned, by the returning officer.
This seems to generally stem from the idea of writ of election: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writofelection where mainly Commonwealth countries still employ this terminology.
puts on red shirt and that, is something you might not have known.
https://redd.it/13wcyhn
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Is bad grammar correct grammar in other languages?
Or in dialects or earlier forms of English that may no longer exist, as in 'he don't got none'.
edit: I think I am not clear, I meant bad grammar as an historical survival.
https://redd.it/13w3shs
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What are some English words or families of words that wouldn't exist without maritime travel?
Doing a bit of research for a bit of speculative storytelling for "a world without boats", I found that the word "pilot" comes from the words for "oar"/"rudder". I'm curious what other commonplace terms originated in the context of boating and have since jumped into common usage.
https://redd.it/13vwuc5
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‘Suit’: euphemistically a bureaucrat is recent
‘Suit’, in the sense of a bureaucrat, first used the television show “Cagney and Lacey” in 1982. Source
https://redd.it/13vruoe
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What do you think of the word "Kitchenese"?
I feel silly asking this question. I'd like to make a food and recipe-related website called Kitchenese but I'm not sure if some would view it as a derogatory term in some strange way. I've had some good feedback and some not so good feedback from the friends I've discussed it with so far. They themselves didn't think it would be problematic but suggested others might in the current social climate. I don't see it as a problem but I wanted to get additional feedback from this subreddit. Is there any reason I shouldn't call my website Kitchenese? I'll likely add a post text: "The language of food.", if that helps.
https://redd.it/13vd4je
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Where did this “as cheap as breakfast” originate?
My business gets a lot of spam messages and there is a consistent phrasing used which we’re now morbidly curious where the source of it may come from. The variations we’ve seen are
“No more pricey than pancakes and syrup”
“No more pricey than French toast and fruit”
“No more pricey than waffles and syrup”
Is there a source of a saying in some language that is the equivalent of “cheap/affordable as breakfast”?? Similar to how English say “easy as pie”.
TIA!
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Where the word muumuu originates...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muumuu
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Reverie - daydream or crazy?
I'm looking into the origins of one of my favorite words - reverie. It's defined as "a state of being lost in one's thoughts; a daydream." The more I look into it, it seems like it came from almost an opposite meaning: wild/delirious/madness:
mid-14c., reuerye, "wild conduct, frolic," from Old French reverie, resverie "revelry, rejoicing, wantonness, raving, delirium" (Modern French rêverie), from resver "to dream, wander, rave" (12c., Modern French rêver), a word of uncertain origin (also the source of **rave**).
Any ideas on how we got from these words to the idea of a peaceful daydream?
https://redd.it/13tm4r0
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How can we better spotlight our "Useful links", which are lying too low on our right hand side?
1. Can moderators add *Oxford English Dictionary* as a useful link? My library gives me free online access.
>The OED is among the best for etymology, although there are other sites that have better ones for particular words (and despite the Century's age, its etymologies are on a par with the OED).
>OED.com is the real English dictionary website, and it's still there. It's a paid subscription service, not supported by advertising, and it focuses on history and etymology over the latest trends.
2. Our links (to Etymonline, Wiktionary, etc...) are too far down and buried! We ought limelight it at the top, so that people can check them first before posting.
https://redd.it/13tczdf
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Is there a word for this feeling-
that if you say sth away (a memory/a moment) to someone or explain what it felt like at that time, you fear that you'll forget to feel it the same way. Or you won't be able to feel it the same way. It happens to me often, now less tho, but I'm often scared that if i explain to people how certian moments felt different or in what way, I'll forget what it felt like. It's like releasing that from within yourself out into the outside world. So i keep it preserved in myself and not explain it.
https://redd.it/13yd89b
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Took some notes on 1930s slang from an old movie
For context, I am writing something with a ghost from the 30s and I wanted to pepper my dialogue with slang from the era. So I watched “Young Bride” on TCM and couldn’t stop taking notes because the dialogue was so zippy.
So without further ado, here is my list of phrases! Don’t know if this will be helpful to anyone, but I found it really fun to compile! I might do it again with another TCM movie.
1930s SLANG:
—————————
Cockeyed
In a big way
Give a buzz (call)
Oh gee
Maybe you’ll change your mind after …
Making cracks
Swell looking gals
You wouldn’t know if I told you
You’d make a swell…
Xxx, nothing. (Dismissive)
Only I don’t have a car to drive
Get a move on
Shake a leg
Crazy-headed
Hot tomato
Don’t break your ankle getting up
Wisecracker
Say,
It’s a honey number (?)
I could go for you in a big way
You look like a million bucks! …and just as hard to get
Plenty
Where’d you go? Every place but jail
A lot of general dope
Got the idea from you
Without old frozen-face horning in
Fella
I got an idea I’m gonna zxxx
I’m a swell fella
Gee, but you are a swell
I suppose you believe that’s old baloney
I’m nuts about xxx
See,
I’m a monkeys grandpa
Well, pull my teeth
No foolin’?
Sure
Rest awhile
Spill it
Everything seems to go flop-o
I like to kid myself I’m a smart
Just a no-good
I ain’t had a break since…
You had me kissed
This is a swell time to get a kick in the pants like that
Canned soup
Them hospitals soak you plenty
Not one thin dime
Well peel my potatoes
Cut it out will ya
Still pulling that old baloney
I got along all right
You did me a swell turn. You woke me up to myself
She’s okay
Shoot the works (use all your money/resources)
I been a four-flusher, all right?
I just got wise to myself tonight
I really kidded myself into thinking
You’re the swellest dame in this whole cockeyed world
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What is a “honey number”? (1930s slang)
What is a “honey number”? I was watching a 1930s movie (Young Bride) and a guy at a club said, “this one’s a honey number, so everybody dance!” (Paraphrased). Was wondering what exactly a “honey number” is. I assume it’s a romantic song from context, but was wondering if there’s more there.
I actually took notes on the phrases used in the movie, because there was a lot of colorful period dialogue, if anyone is interested (if this is the proper subreddit for things like this) I can post them!
https://redd.it/13xvnag
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Where does the word “bussin’” come from?
Apparently, the kids these days say “bussin’” to mean something good. Anyone know what this has to do with busses?
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The story behind "Spill the Beans"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiC7qSSLGfY
https://redd.it/13we2q9
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Does ‘man’ in the suffix -manship (penmanship, marksmanship) mean hand or male?
I know it relates to being skilled at something acquired with practice, but does that mean a skill using hands?
https://redd.it/13wdbso
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Polite Polish
In French, "Poli" both means "being polite" and "being polished".
I just realized it's the same word and not just a homonym. Polite people have very smooth personalities, they don't sting.
There is also the term "being honeyed". In French, it's often pejoratively used to describe someone's politeness slowly melting down on you and hard to detach, whereas in English, it seems the sweet attraction is emphasized.
https://redd.it/13w4qq9
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Which of these 4 brand names do you like?
Hi everyone! I'm trying to creato a sport brand and I'm looking for a name.
I have 4 option, but I'd know which of them sound more cool in english.
Could you help me?
Don't try to find the meaning, think about only to the sound and what can evocate for you.
View Poll
https://redd.it/13vv1wm
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Origins of the F slur/Use of it to refer to cigarettes
Just a random 5am thought. Mostly bc I learned that feigling is German for coward. Though the only other cognate of that word I’ve heard was that South Park episode where they talked about it.
https://redd.it/13vl792
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When does the phrase "golden hour" come to mean the times of day when the sun is close to the horizon? Is that use older than color film for cinema and photography?
https://redd.it/13vawbi
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Help with origin of a specific phrase.
The phrase is "I am my mother's child(,/.)". I need to find the closest origin.
It's a phrase African-American's know well and have for generations. But I wondered It's origins and the entire internet is just flooded with Lorde lyrics, and blog post using the term...My grandpa said it to me. My Grandmother said it to my mother, it's older than Lorde.
It's a brain worm I can't get rid of, can someone please help me or point me to the right subreddit? I can't figure this out on my own, I appreciate any help or links.
https://redd.it/13v0a42
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Chyron is an electronically generated caption superimposed on a television or movie screen
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Hosie?
As in "I hosie the first slice". I just heard it for the first time today. It's similar to calling dibs or shotgun, but without "I call" attached to it. My mom's family have used it since at least the 1940s. Where did this come from?
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Do we have evidence of recognition between similarities between languages in antiquity and middle ages?
I am familiar with the example of medieval Jewish scholars in al-Andalus that recognized some similarities between grammatical structures of Hebrew and Arabic.
Do we have similar examples when it comes to etymology or grammar?
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sargeant
we have the accepted etymology of the word "sargeant".
from Old French sergent, serjant "(domestic) servant, valet; court official; soldier," from Medieval Latin servientum (nominative serviens) "servant, vassal, soldier" (in Late Latin "public official"), from Latin servire "to serve".
I found this wiki source that provides a different analysis.
https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergente
"serra gente" or to keep marching troops in formation, literal translation would be "to saw".
nonsense?
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