Ah, but prior to 1837 you weren't.
The word "super" was first seen as a standalone word in 1837 (thanks to the Online Etymology Dictionary). Before that, it was part of another word that actually sounds more modern.
Before 1837 the word was "superfine", the highest grade of goods. Ironic that slang from the recent past was the actual original word for "super".
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Friday, June 1, 2007
Ventriloquy
A dying breed now, ventriloquists were once very popular entertainers. Traditionally, they are a performer with a puppet where the performer makes it appear that the puppet is speaking by "throwing his voice" with minimal mouth movements.
What interesting is that the source meaning of the word "ventriloquy" is opposed to the modern usage. The roots of the word come from Latin as "belly" and "speak"...sort of a gruff, growling sound internalized. People who spoke in this fashion were considered to be possessed by demons and the original sounds described this way were opposite of the projection required for modern ventriloquists.
Now we have the other oddity: The ventriloquists puppet is known as a "dummy". Dummy originally meant someone who was dumb, that is, literally could not speak. The whole idea behind the ventriloquists show is to convince the audience that the dummy CAN speak.
A strange use of words for this profession, indeed!
What interesting is that the source meaning of the word "ventriloquy" is opposed to the modern usage. The roots of the word come from Latin as "belly" and "speak"...sort of a gruff, growling sound internalized. People who spoke in this fashion were considered to be possessed by demons and the original sounds described this way were opposite of the projection required for modern ventriloquists.
Now we have the other oddity: The ventriloquists puppet is known as a "dummy". Dummy originally meant someone who was dumb, that is, literally could not speak. The whole idea behind the ventriloquists show is to convince the audience that the dummy CAN speak.
A strange use of words for this profession, indeed!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Sports Jerseys
The word jersey was first used to describe a tightly knitted pullover sweater worn by fisherman from the Channel Islands which are a small group of islands owned by Great Britain off of the coast of France.
Unlike normal wool sweaters, jerseys were not stripped of the natural oils of the material and were therefore more waterproof.
In Great Britain, some types of sweaters unaffiliated with sports are also called jerseys.
Until recently, hockey jerseys were more often referred to as "sweaters", although, arguably, traditional hockey sweaters more closely matched against the original Channel Island fishermens' jerseys in composition.
Interestingly, in Australia, the team pullovers worn by footballers are called "guernseys". Guernsey is another Channel Island.
Unlike normal wool sweaters, jerseys were not stripped of the natural oils of the material and were therefore more waterproof.
In Great Britain, some types of sweaters unaffiliated with sports are also called jerseys.
Until recently, hockey jerseys were more often referred to as "sweaters", although, arguably, traditional hockey sweaters more closely matched against the original Channel Island fishermens' jerseys in composition.
Interestingly, in Australia, the team pullovers worn by footballers are called "guernseys". Guernsey is another Channel Island.
The origin of "gringo"
The mild perjorative "gringo" is a term used in Latin America to describe English-speakers. Many people think that the origin of the word came from the Mexican American War when American Troops marched into Mexico singing "Green Grow the Lilacs".
Not true.
As far back as the 1700's, the word existed in Castillian (classical Spanish) to describe anyone who had problems correctly pronouncing Spanish. It is likely derived from the Spanish word griego meaning "Greek".
Why "Greek"? Now we have to go further back to Roman times. While the Romans had great respect for their predecessors. the Greeks, they also liked to make fun of them. Most Greeks could not distinctly pronounce Latin, making their speech hard to understand by Romans. Also, since the Greek and Latin alphabets were different, things written in Greek were unintelligible by Romans.
Over time, anything that was illegible or incomprehensible became labelled with the Latin phrase Graecum est; non potest legi. Which has come down over the centuries into both the Spanish and English languages, amongst others, as:
It's all Greek to me.
Not true.
As far back as the 1700's, the word existed in Castillian (classical Spanish) to describe anyone who had problems correctly pronouncing Spanish. It is likely derived from the Spanish word griego meaning "Greek".
Why "Greek"? Now we have to go further back to Roman times. While the Romans had great respect for their predecessors. the Greeks, they also liked to make fun of them. Most Greeks could not distinctly pronounce Latin, making their speech hard to understand by Romans. Also, since the Greek and Latin alphabets were different, things written in Greek were unintelligible by Romans.
Over time, anything that was illegible or incomprehensible became labelled with the Latin phrase Graecum est; non potest legi. Which has come down over the centuries into both the Spanish and English languages, amongst others, as:
It's all Greek to me.
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