Etymology is the study of the origins of words.
As languages develop the meaning of words can turn over time. This causes blurring and misunderstanding when communicating with other people.
Time
In a world were you make a living at communicating, advertising or marketing, it is not only foremost to have clarity in your message, it is also foremost to think of your target store and understand how they understand words and messages.
On the inescapable side that words turn meaning over time, it has been noted that languages that stay alive, adapt and grow over time.
An example would be the word nice. Nice used to be an insult and meant foolish or slow-witted in the 13th century and it went straight through many changes right straight through to the 18th century with meanings like wanton, extravagant, elegant, strange, modest, thin, and shy or coy. Now it means a good & pleasing or thoughtful & kind.
Silly meant blessed or happy in the 11th century and went straight through pious, innocent, harmless, pitiable and feeble minded before ending up as foolish or stupid.
Pretty started as crafty this changed to clever or skillfully made, then to fine and ended up as beautiful.
Some other changes are:
Word ______ customary Meaning
Awful________ Deserving of awe
Bead _________Prayer
Brave_________ Cowardice (as in bravado)
Girl__________ Young man of whether sex
Neck_________ Parcel of land (as in neck of the woods)
Nuisance______ Injury, harm
Sophisticated___Corrupted
There are any reasons for words turn meaning. One is the sway of other languages and cultures. Throughout history, many nations straight through conquering or intermixing with one another, introduced their own languages into the mix. another reckon is the predominate use of slang words. We get so used to using them that many times we forget that we even are.
So when it comes to defining words, there is the standard dictonary, which by the way can show complicated meanings for one word, and there is the definition of the word in slang.
As well, slang words spread faster and are used more often than before, production them base place in many societies.
Due to the advancement of science and technology, new words are also being created at an amazing rate. keeping up with some of the new words and your usage of them will help in your efforts understand and to come to be a expert communicator.
Once every ten years, the Merriam- Webster dictionary is updated. Their 11th edition for 2003 included some 10,000 new words along with 100,000 new meanings to words already existing and some 225,00 revised definitions.
Some of the slang words that have made it in the dictionary are;
Headbanger- a hard rock musician and a fan
Dead presidents- Paper currency
Prairie Gophering - citizen who peer above their cubicles at work.
McJob- Low paying and dead-end work.
Comb-over- an endeavor to cover a bald spot
You can learn about more words in an etymology dictionary.
We can use this as another reminder, especially when it is foremost to have a group goal achieved, that what a word means to us, may not have the same meaning to man else.
There is also the emotional reactions that distinct citizen have to inescapable words. But that's another story...
Etymology- How Words convert Over Time
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