LL-L "Etymology" 2004.08.16 (06) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 16.AUG.2004 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Ruth & Mark Dreyer <mrdreyer at lantic.net>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2004.08.14 (07) [E]

Beste John Baskind

Subject: LL-L "Etymology"

> Also BTW,  in the early 60s  at my high school, an earlier and more
> form-fitting version of this garment was called "punt in die wind" in
> Afrikaans...

Ag tog John!

Groete,
Mark

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From: john feather <johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk>
Subject: Etymology

Mark queried whether It is correct to say that "Break a leg" arises from
folk etymology. I assumed that the Hebrew blessing got contracted and
perhaps distorted and was then re-analysed and re-formulated because of the
superficial similarity of "baruch" and "Bruch". If the process had been a
deliberate one like the schoolboy jokes I would say that a pun was involved.


But perhaps we need a finer grid on which to locate different types of
meaning change.

I think French "choucroute" from Alsatian "surkrut" is folk
etymology. It is of course a fine example since both elements are
misinterpreted and the second becomes the first. To call a German a "Sour
Kraut" would be a pun (in extremely bad taste, I hasten to add).

What about "short shift" for "short shrift" and US "chaise lounge" for
"chaise longue"? I suppose you could argue that in both these cases the
second element is being remodelled into a more familiar word rather than
being misunderstood as it stands.

How about "kudo" from "kudos"? Chambers gives this as a back-formation but
it depends on a misinterpretation of the "-s" as a plural marker. BTW,
"kudos" seems to have rather different usages in US and UK English. In the
US it is often a synonym for "congratulations" - "Kudos to you!",
"Congratulations on your achievement!" - and pronounced "-oze". In the UK it
probably used less often
nowadays but has the sense "praise, renown" - "He gained great kudos" - and
pronounced "-oss". Our
countries are not only divided by our own language but by the Greek language
as well!

John Feather
johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk

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