LL-L "Etymology" 2009.06.16 (03) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 16 June 2009 - Volume 03
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From: heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk <heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2009.06.15 (01) [DE-EN]

>From Heather Rendall  heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk

Ron/Reinhard wrote:  So, "ish" *has* become a word, at least in casual
speech in a certain region! I think it was merely a matter of time. I have
occasionally resisted the urge of saying "ish" myself while making a hand
movement like that. It seems so natural and tempting!

 Another 'joke' reply, such as 'ish', which has become entirely accepted
without a glance back to its colloquial origins is 'when'

As in when someone is pouring a drink and they ask the person for whom it is
being poured : "Say when" i.e. when I should stop pouring. And that person
replies 'When!"

I remember back in the 50s people laughing at this as a joke reply : now it
is the accepted reply!

In the same league  when someone said " I 'm hungry ( or thirsty or tired
etc) "  one replied "Oh really I thought you were Pauline ( or Robert or
Fred whatever name they had).

I think 'ish' is pretty widespread now. You can hear it on TV and radio
without need for any reaction or lack of comprehension to be written into
the script. One person who uses it a lot is Stephen Fry on QI and that would
be reason enough for it to be spread and accepted.

It even gets used where there is no original adjective to have added 'ish'
to!

"Are you feeling better?"  "Ish" where it clearly means  "Not entirely"

Heather

Worcester UK

whose roses took a battering from a hail storm last night and whose house
was flooded ( a bit) by the rising waters of the flash flood that followed!
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Hi, Heather!

Thanks for the update on "ish".

"Are you feeling better?"  "Ish" where it clearly means  "Not entirely"

This confirms the development I tried to predict.

The "when" thing is current all over the English-speaking world, by the way.

Regards,
Reinhad/Ron
Seattle, USA

P.S.: I hope you'll soon have dry feet again. We're in for some rain here
later this week, after a long spell of splendid summer weather.

•

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