Etymology Support with Gareth Roberts

Introduction to Etymology

• Etymology: Study of word origins and historical development.
• Part of historical linguistics, which studies language change over time.

Examples of Word Origins

• Gossip: Derived from Old English 'god-sib' meaning a godparent or one you confide in.
• Bro/Dude: Originally gendered, now often gender neutral.
• Man: Was a general term for people; 'wer' was used for males. 'World' comes from Proto-Germanic meaning "age of man."
• Guy: From Guy Fawkes, used to refer to a poorly dressed person, now used generally.

Silent Letters in English

• Silent letters like 'k' in 'knight' were once pronounced.
• Spelling not updated over time; e.g., 'could' added an 'L' for consistency.

Social Media Influences

• Unalived: Created due to social media taboos, similar to historical word changes due to taboo.
• Example: 'Bear' avoided to not invoke fear, led to word meaning 'brown'.

Linguistic Changes and Laws

• Grimm's Law: Describes systematic sound changes in Germanic languages; e.g., Latin 'p' to English 'f'.

Creation and Evolution of Words

• Swear Words: Often related to taboo subjects; evolve over time (e.g., 'piss' to 'pee').
• New words are rarely invented from nothing; often combinations of existing words.
• Iconic Forms: Using gestures or sounds to create words when language barriers exist.

Historical Language Development

• Likely one common language: Proto-Indo-European.
• Nomadic pastoralists in the Pontic-Caspian steppe, around 6,000 years ago.
• Language Tree: Shows family relationships among languages; e.g., Germanic branch: English, Dutch.

Vowel Shifts and Shakespeare's Influence

• The Great Vowel Shift: Dramatic change in vowel pronunciation in English around the 14th century.
• Shakespeare popularized but didn't solely invent many English words.

Evolution of Pronouns

• 'Thee' and 'Thou' phased out in favor of 'you' (singular and plural).
• Influenced by Latin singular/plural forms, societal respect.

Miscellaneous Etymology Insights

• Orange: Evolved from Sanskrit through Arabic, Spanish, then French.
• Poop: Originally meant 'fart', evolved to a euphemism for defecation.
• Fall vs. Autumn: 'Fall' originated in 16th century England, 'Autumn' borrowed from Latin.
• No: Traces back to Proto-Indo-European, similar to non-verbal refusal by infants.

Language Origins and Communication

• Languages likely around for 100,000 years.
• Early human communication through sounds and gestures.
• Onomatopoeia: Words resemble the sounds they describe (e.g., 'bang', 'woof').

This lecture delves into various aspects of etymology, tracing the history and development of words, how social and cultural influences impact language, and the evolution of language over time. It also addresses common questions and misconceptions about the origins and changes in the English language.