In defense of etymological speculation

[Fred Shapiro]

On Tue, 13 Aug 2002, Fred Shapiro wrote:

> word-formation when simpler explanations are available?  But Paul's
> explanation is actually worse than Jerry's in that Paul's one contradicts
> the historical evidence I have uncovered.  "Bulldyker" is attested in
> 1906, "bulldyke" in 1931, "dyke" in 1931.  It's of course possible,

Sorry, my bad.  Of course, Jerry's explanation (this is a point I
neglected to mention yesterday) is not merely farfetched, it is also, like
Paul's, contradictory to the historical evidence I have uncovered.  Any
explanation of "bulldyke" should address the seeming priority of
"bulldyker."

Fred Shapiro








> particularly with this very-underground type of word, that "dyke" came
> first and no early usages have been found, but that's not the way the
> evidence is looking.  The RHHDAS etymology is based on the known evidence
> before my recent discovery, which renders that etymology doubtful.
>
> I feel sometimes that in etymological discussions I am speaking a
> different language from most everyone else, a language of evidence rather
> than of speculation.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Fred R. Shapiro                             Editor
> Associate Librarian for Public Services     YALE DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS
>   and Lecturer in Legal Research            Yale University Press,
> Yale Law School                             forthcoming
> e-mail: fred.shapiro at yale.edu               http://quotationdictionary.com
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>

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Fred R. Shapiro                             Editor
Associate Librarian for Public Services     YALE DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS
  and Lecturer in Legal Research            Yale University Press,
Yale Law School                             forthcoming
e-mail: fred.shapiro at yale.edu               http://quotationdictionary.com
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