Etymons Of English Words

For centuries, investigations into the origins of words were entwined with investigations into the origins of humanity and the cosmos. With the development of modern etymological practice in the nineteenth century, however, many cherished etymologies were shown to be impossible, and the very idea of original 'true meaning' asserted in the etymology of 'etymology' declared a fallacy. Structural linguistics later held that the relationship between sound and meaning in language was 'arbitrary', or 'unmotivated', a truth that has survived with small modification until today. On the other hand, the relationship between sound and meaning has been a prime motivator of poems, at all times throughout history. The Life of Words studies a selection of poets inhabiting our 'Age of the Arbitrary', whose auditory-semantic sensibilities have additionally been motivated by a historical sense of the language, troubled as it may be by claims and counterclaims of 'fallacy' or 'true meaning'. Arguing that etymology activates peculiar kinds of epistemology in the modern poem, the book pays extended attention to poems by G. M. Hopkins, Anne Waldman, Ciaran Carson, and Anne Carson, and to the collected works of Geoffrey Hill, Paul Muldoon, Seamus Heaney, R. F. Langley, and J. H. Prynne.

Excerpt from Etymons of English Words The English Language is derived from the Gothic and Celtic, chiefly through the Anglo Saxon and French dialects. The object now in contemplation is to trace the probable origin of its words, to mark their adventitious changes, and indicate their principal analogies. The utility of etymological inquiries has been disputed on the ground, that, a precise meaning being once affixed to words, it avails little to know whence they 'originated. This, abstractedly, may be true; but, linked so intimately as they are with the Arts and Sciences, their variations must correspond with the progressive improvement of the human mind, and therefore assume some considerable importance in the History of Man. Even the puerile attempts of this kind which have been admitted into our dictionaries, create a national concern that means should be tried to avert the sneer of foreigners, and remove at least some erroneous ideas, which are always pernicious. The difficulty of such correction is sufficiently evident. Few literary men would be disposed to tread in this humble path; and fewer still, if any, possess knowledge of the ancient and modern languages of Europe adequate to the pursuit. Many years of labour, and no small portion of fortune must be devoted, in this way, without any certainty of success, amidst the numerous contingencies which exclude all rational calcula tion of pecuniary advantage. Fame, the aerial recompense of authors, cannot be expected. If the etymons be at all natural, the difficulties of selecting and compiling them will become less obvious. They offer, at the same time, so Wide a scope to the shafts of criticism, that those who choose to exercise it candidly, will at least, distinguish between the cursory and amusing analysis of particular words, and the toil of wading through a whole vocabulary with no choice of evasion. The task, here prescribed, extends much beyond the usual practice of referring, merely to some cognate term, in German or French, for an English etymon, without pointing further toward a common source; which is little more satisfactory than adducing some difference of pronunciation at York and in London. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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A guide to the science and process of etymology for the layperson explains how the origins and history of hundreds of words are determined, discussing such topics as folk etymology, changes of meaning in language history, borrowed words, and the methods of etymology.

This practical introduction to word history investigates every aspect of where words come from and how they change. Philip Durkin, chief etymologist of the Oxford English Dictionary, shows how different types of evidence can shed light on the myriad ways in which words change in form and meaning. He considers how such changes can be part of wider linguistic processes, or be influenced by a complex mixture of social and cultural factors. He illustrates every point with a wide range of fascinating examples. Dr Durkin investigates folk etymology and other changes which words undergo in everyday use. He shows how language families are established, how words in different languages can have a common ancester, and the ways in which the latter can be distinguished from words introduced through language contact. He examines the etymologies of the names of people and places. His focus is on English but he draws many examples from languages such as French, German, and Latin which cast light on the pre-histories of English words. The Oxford Guide to Etymology is reliable, readable, instructive, and enjoyable. Everyone interested in the history of words will value this account of an endlessly fascinating subject.