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<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">L O W L A N D S - L - 16 November 2007 - Volume 05
</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Song Contest: <a href="http://lowlands-l.net/contest/">lowlands-l.net/contest/</a> (- 31 Dec. 2007)</span>
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">=========================================================================</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">From: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe"><span class="EP8xU" style="color: rgb(121, 6, 25);">
Paul Finlow-Bates</span> <span class="lDACoc"><<a href="mailto:wolf_thunder51@yahoo.co.uk">wolf_thunder51@yahoo.co.uk</a>></span></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Subject: </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="HcCDpe">Re: LL-L "Etymology" 2007.11.16 (03) [E]<br><br></span><div style="margin-left: 40px; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2">From: R. F. Hahn <<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com" target="_blank">sassisch@yahoo.com</a>></font><br><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2">
Subject: </font><br><br><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2">Elsie asked under "Morphology":</font><br><br></div> <div style="margin-left: 80px; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">
<font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);" size="2">So where does the word cute come from? </font><br></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2"> </font><br><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2">It comes from "acute" (< Latin <i>acut-</i>),
originally meaning "sharp (at the end/angle)", later expanding
semantically to "abrupt" and "dramatic" and "dire", as in "an acute (~
sharp) increase", "an acute shortage". This developed to "sharp" with
regard to "wit", appearing in literature in the early part of the 18th
century. In this sense it is preserved in expressions such as "a cute
remark" or "You think you're so cute, don't you?" </font><br><br><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2">In
colloquial American English, the semantics of this expanded to include
"attractive", possibly via "admirably quick-/keen-witted". This
appeared in literature in the early part of the 19th century. This
sense predominates now. Not too long ago it was limited to the sense of
"sweet" or "precious", especially of small or young creatures
(including children) and female humans. In the meantime, it has come to
include the sense of "sexually attractive" with reference to both
genders. </font><br><br><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2">Via literature and especially the via entertainment media, it has been spreading to other English dialects.</font><br><br><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2">
Regards,</font><br><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2">Reinhard/Ron</font><br></div><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">I
remember reading about sled dogs in Alaska, and the writer commenting
how native people liked to cross-breed their animals with wolves every
few generations. The explanation, which confused her at first, was
that it made them "more cute". That was the last word she would have
applied to working Alaskan dogs! Then she realised they meant "acute"
as in sharper. A case of meanings going full circle!</span><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" color="#888888"><br>Paul Finlow-Bates</font><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
•
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