[Lexicog] origin of the word "gullible"

[David Frank]

Doesn't French gueule mean 'snout'? That is, isn't it the mouth of an animal, and isn't it insulting to use that word to refer to a person's mouth? That was my understanding when we were working on the etymologies for our St. Lucian (French) Creole dictionary. In St. Lucian Creole, there is a word djòl or djèl that means 'snout' (as of a pig or donkey), but if you tell someone in Creole "shut your snout" using this word, it is an insult. The "djòl" of a hole is the mouth or opening of the hole, such as a crab hole.

-- David Frank


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "MARC FRYD" <marc.fryd at univ-poitiers.fr>
To: <lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, June 17, 2005 3:45 AM
Subject: Re: [Lexicog] origin of the word "gullible"


Allan,
The word "gueule" in French means face ( 'sale gueule' ) or mouth ('(ferme) ta gueule!). Neutral when used for animals, it takes on argotic connotations when used for humans.
This strikes me as a plausible origin of your 'gullible'.
Regards,
Marc
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