[Lexicog] Origin and synonyms of "wimp"

[David Tuggy]

Phonosemantics indeed.

Interestingly, in Orizaba Nawatl the phoneme w shows signs of splitting 
into w and v (fricative bilabial). v has been, for centuries and in 
various dialects, an adherent of the w phoneme, sometimes as a 
phonologically conditioned allomorph, sometimes socially conditioned, 
e.g. in women's as opposed to men's speech, sometimes fluctuating in 
various environments. Anyhow, in some Orizaba towns, the split seems to 
be developing along such lines that a form with w is "bigger" or 
"stronger", whereas the variant with "v" is the small, veak, vimpy vun. 
E.g. kuavitl = stick, kuawitl = tree, mokokova "be uncomfortable/sick", 
mokokowa "be seriously ill, injure yourself" cf. nechkokowa "he/it 
hurts/wounds me" and nechkokova "it bothers/hurts me."

Note also in English the big bang bust blow (up) blast blistering 
blaring set of violent sounds or other processes, along with softer 
words like baby, bubble, blow (gently), balloon, bathe.

If (and of course it's a big if, though I think there's something in it) 
phonosemantics ties in, somehow and sometimes, to "natural" or iconic 
meaning connections, some sounds are likely ambivalent, and position in 
a word is likely to be relevant. And a sound that gets associated with a 
meaning in one language may well be associated with a different one in 
another language. Yet there seems to be enough beyond-chance 
correspondence that some "natural" sorting must be at work.

The phenomenon is a fascinating one, anyway. It is so hard to pin down, 
which is part of why it's so interesting.

--David Tuggy

John Roberts wrote:

> Fritz Goerling asked:
> > Where does "wimp" come from?
> > What are some of its  "synonyms" in English (American, British, or other
> > variants of English)?
> Fritz,
>  
> This is the entry for "wimp" (n) from the online etymology dictionary:
>  
> 1920 (but not attested again until 1960), perhaps a clipped form of 
> whimper (cf whimp, 1549), perhaps influenced by J. Wellington Wimpy, 
> comparatively unaggressive character in "Popeye" comics. Wimpy (adj.) 
> is from 1967.
>  
> The NODE concurs that the origin of "wimp" is unknown, but perhaps it 
> is from "whimper".
>  
> "wet", "weed", "weakling", "wuss", (some phonosemantics going on 
> here) "sissy", "chicken" are some synonyms.
>  
> We have the "whimperative" mood in Amele (Papuan) expressed by the 
> sentence final postposition =mo. E.g. "wa itaga=mo" 'please give me 
> some water' (usually expressed in a whimpering tone).
>  
> John Roberts
>  
>
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