=======================================================================
<p>
L O W L A N D S - L * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
<p>
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands.list@gmail.com
<p>
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/rules.php
<p>
Posting: lowlands-l@listserv.linguistlist.org - lowlands.list@gmail.com
<p>
Commands ("signoff lowlands-l" etc.): listserv@listserv.net
<p>
Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
<p>
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
<p>
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
<p>
Administration: lowlands.list@gmail.com or sassisch@yahoo.com
<p>
<p>
You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
text from the same account to listserv@listserv.linguistlist.org or
sign off at http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
<p>
<p>
A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West) Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
<p>
=======================================================================
<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 - 15 November 2007 - Volume 04
</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);">
Jacqueline Bungenberg de Jong</span> <span class="lDACoc"><<a href="mailto:Dutchmatters@comcast.net">Dutchmatters@comcast.net</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">LL-L "Morphology" 2007.11.16 (09) [E]<br></span><p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">Ron contributed:</span></font> * This is found in words like
"delicate" and "delicious", also to the archaic words
"delice" (= "delight"), "delicies"
("delights", 'joys"), "delicities"
("delights", 'joys") and "to deliciate" ("to
delight", "to enjoy oneself<font color="red"><span style="color: red;">").
"Delight" looks like it too, but the <i><span style="font-style: italic;">OED</span></i>
claims it comes from a misspelled rendition of Middle English <i><span style="font-style: italic;">delit</span></i> from Old French <i><span style="font-style: italic;">delit</span></i>, from Latin <i><span style="font-style: italic;">
deliter</span></i>. But isn't that related also?</span></font></p>
<font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" color="blue" face="Arial Narrow" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue;">Alright Ron. That
than can have the special meaning of the "delight" ???? some people feel when
getting up in the morning. Jacqueline <br>
</span></font><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);">Elsie Zinsser</span> <span class="lDACoc">
<<a href="mailto:ezinsser@icon.co.za">ezinsser@icon.co.za</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">LL-L "Etymology" 2007.11.16 (05) [E]</span>
<p style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hi all,</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Thanks, Ron, for explaining the origin of 'cute'.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Paul, I have acquired an 'Alaskan husky' last year, and apart from the fact that he is amazingly bright, he actually looks much more like a coyote than like a husky. He believes 'working breed' means catching a dove every morning and devouring feathers and all!
</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Regards,</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Elsie Zinsser</span><br></span>
</font></p><div style="margin-left: 40px; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">From: Paul Finlow-Bates <<a href="mailto:wolf_thunder51@yahoo.co.uk">
wolf_thunder51@yahoo.co.uk</a>></span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">Subject: Re: LL-L "Etymology" 2007.11.16 (03) [E]</span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;"></span></font><br><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">From: R. F. Hahn <<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com">
sassisch@yahoo.com</a>></span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">Subject:</span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;"></span>
</font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">Elsie asked under "Morphology":</span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;"></span>
</font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">So where does the word cute come from?</span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;"></span></font>
<br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">It comes from "acute" (< Latin acut-), 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?"
</span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;"></span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">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.
</span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;"></span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">Via literature and especially the via entertainment media, it has been spreading to other English dialects.
</span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;"></span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">Regards,</span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">Reinhard/Ron</span></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;"></span></font><br></div><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;">
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></font><br><font color="navy" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy;"></span></font></div><br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
•
<p>
==============================END===================================
<p>
* Please submit postings to lowlands-l@listserv.linguistlist.org.
<p>
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
<p>
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
<p>
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l")
<p>
are to be sent to listserv@listserv.linguistlist.org or at
<p>
http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
<p>
*********************************************************************