LL-L "Etymology" 2007.03.05 (09) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L - 05 March 2007 - Volume 09

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From: Kevin Caldwell <kevin.caldwell1963 at verizon.net>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2007.03.05 (07) [E]

From: Sandy Fleming  <sandy at scotstext.org>
Subject: LL-L "Idiomatica" 2007.03.05 (01) [E]

> I'm sure I've come across various oral-language equivalents of this -
> vocabulary that alters to accommodate amateur etymology. I can't seem to
> think of any examples offhand, though.

"Jerusalem artichoke," from the Italian "girasole" (meaning "heliotrope").
The "artichoke" part is another story.

"Hoppin' John" (a dish made with black-eyed peas and rice), supposedly from
the French Creole name for black-eyed peas, "pois pigeons" (pigeon peas).

> Oh yes, the phrase "scart-free" used by at least one Scottish writer has
> been discussed on the list before. Does "scot-free" really come from the
> Scots for "without a scratch", or is it from the French "escot"? That
> sort of thing.

The "scot" in "scot free" is from Old Norse, and connected with modern
French "écot". It means simply "money assessed or paid" (from
Merriam-Webster OnLine).  A more detailed explanation is here:
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-sco1.htm

Kevin Caldwell
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