[Lexicog] Pejorative suffixes (more-ish)

[John Roberts]

Mike Maxwell wrote:

> (Most of us aren't very familiar with bulls, so
> maybe we don't need a word 'bull-like' any more than we need a word
> 'aardvark-like'. BTW, I was about to say that we don't need a word
> 'bully', then I realized that that word does exist, but has drifted so
> far from its etymological origins that I didn't even recognize it as
> connected--if indeed it is.)

The New Oxford Dictionary of English gives four "bully" words based on four
different etymologies. The first "bully" is the relevant one in this case
and originally (originated in 16 cent) it was a term of endearment applied
to either sex. Later in the 17 cent it took on the present day sense. It
originated from the Dutch "boele" 'lover'. So its origins had nothing to do
with "bull". But even so, it would be fairly difficult to begin a new
English word "bully" meaning 'bull-like' or 'term of endearment' when there
are four "bully"s in the language already. None of the four "bully"s derive
from English "bull" either.

Is this called topic-drift?

John Roberts





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