I've chosen some words this week that interest me.
Flute
1.Etymology
From the Old French "flaute" circa 1384. Came into the English language as being synonomous with "tibia" in 1548.
2. Lexical
The word lends itself to many other words: carol, flout, flautist, tibia, geisha, high-falutin', striation, piccolo, recorder, susurration, muse, anacreontic, and spirit.
3. Semantics
1 a : recorder b : a keyed woodwind instrument consisting of a cylindrical tube which is stopped at one end and which has a side hole over which air is blown to produce the tone and having a range from middle C upward for three octaves2 : something long and slender: as a : a tall slender wineglass b : a grooved pleat (as on a hat brim)3 : a rounded groove; specifically : one of the vertical parallel grooves on a classical architectural column
c.1384, from O.Fr. flaute, from O.Prov. flaut, of uncertain origin, perhaps imitative or from L. flare "to blow;" perhaps influenced by Prov. laut "lute." The other Gmc. words (cf. Ger. flöte) are likewise borrowings from Fr. Ancient flutes were blown through a mouthpiece, like a recorder; the modern transverse or German flute developed 18c. The modern design and key system of the concert flute were perfected 1834 by Theobald Boehm. The architectural sense of "furrow in a pillar" (1660) is from fancied resemblance to the inside of a flute split down the middle. Meaning "tall, slender wine glass" is from 1649. Flutist (1603), probably from Fr. flûtiste, replaced M.E. flouter and is preferred in U.S. British preference is flautist (q.v.), a Continental reborrowing that returns the original diphthong.
4. Sources
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=Flute&searchmode=none
www.m-w.com
Fanatic
1. Etymology
From the 1525 Latin, "fanaticus." It entered the English language in 1650, but was shortened to "fan" in 1889.
2. Lexical
There is only one other form of this word: fan.
3. Semantics
c.1525, "insane person," from L. fanaticus "mad, enthusiastic, inspired by a god," originally, "pertaining to a temple," from fanum "temple," related to festus "festive." Current sense of "extremely zealous," especially in religion, is first attested 1647. The noun is from 1650, originally in religious sense, of Nonconformists.
"A fanatic is someone who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." [Winston Churchill]
See my previous post concerning Packer Fans
4. Source
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=fanatic&searchmode=none
" Website Review "
http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~cpercy/helhome.htm
A rather deceptive title is given to this site that provides History of the English Language Links. heh. It's a part of the University of Toronto's webpage... and provides links to that English Dept. It's one huge link page. Nothing too exciting to captivate the attention span... hey look, a distraction!
http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~cpercy/hell/
The same thing, but it looks different. I'm all about the visuals. They provide links about dialects as well!
That's it for now.
out
No comments:
Post a Comment