30.3821, Disc: Words of Fear Cross-linguistically

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-30-3821. Thu Oct 10 2019. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 30.3821, Disc: Words of Fear Cross-linguistically

Moderator: Malgorzata E. Cavar (linguist at linguistlist.org)
Student Moderator: Jeremy Coburn
Managing Editor: Becca Morris
Team: Helen Aristar-Dry, Everett Green, Sarah Robinson, Peace Han, Nils Hjortnaes, Yiwen Zhang, Julian Dietrich
Jobs: jobs at linguistlist.org | Conferences: callconf at linguistlist.org | Pubs: pubs at linguistlist.org

Homepage: http://linguistlist.org

Please support the LL editors and operation with a donation at:
           https://funddrive.linguistlist.org/donate/

Editor for this issue: Everett Green <everett at linguistlist.org>
================================================================


Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2019 06:18:46
From: Paola Marongiu [paola.marongiu at unil.ch]
Subject: Words of Fear Cross-linguistically

 
Here in Lausanne we are currently working on an exposition concerning the
words of fear, especially those that have taken a positive value throughout
time. We have individuated for now three types of words: 1) French
''formidable'': etymologically related to the feeling of fear (Latin
''formidabilis'' -> ''inspiring fear, frightening, terrifying''), it is now
mainly used with the meaning ''great, fantastic'';

2) English ''terrific'': also etymologically related to fear (Latin ''terreo''
-> ''to terrorize'') it can now be used both with a positive (''amazing'') and
a negative (''terrible'') meaning;

3) French ''terriblement'', German ''schrecklich'', English ''awfully'',
adverbs etymologically related to fear and that can nowadays intensify an
adjective in both a positive and a negative way.

We would like to ampliate the list as much as possible with words matching
these three categories and coming from as many languages as possible. Do you
happen to have any ideas and feel like you would like to contribute to our
list? If so, please feel free to contact us. Thank you!

The WoPoss team: Helena Bermúdez Sabel, Francesca Dell’Oro, Paola Marongiu



Linguistic Field(s): Historical Linguistics
                     Semantics
                     Typology



------------------------------------------------------------------------------

***************************    LINGUIST List Support    ***************************
 The 2019 Fund Drive is under way! Please visit https://funddrive.linguistlist.org
  to find out how to donate and check how your university, country or discipline
     ranks in the fund drive challenges. Or go directly to the donation site:
               https://iufoundation.fundly.com/the-linguist-list-2019

                        Let's make this a short fund drive!
                Please feel free to share the link to our campaign:
                    https://funddrive.linguistlist.org/donate/
 


----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-30-3821	
----------------------------------------------------------