Reptile – Podictionary Word of the Day

[display_podcast]

iTunes users can subscribe to this podcast

In 1762, after Samuel Johnson had already achieved fame, “[his] friend Sir Joshua Reynolds paid a visit of some weeks to his native country, Devonshire, in which he was accompanied by Johnson, who was much pleased with this jaunt…He was entertained at the seats of several noblemen and gentlemen in the West of England…At one of these seats Dr. Amyat, Physician in London…happened to meet him. In order to amuse him till dinner should be ready, he was taken out to walk in the garden. The master of the house, thinking it proper to introduce something scientifick into the conversation, addressed him thus:

‘Are you a botanist, Dr. Johnson?’

‘No, Sir, (answered Johnson,) I am not a botanist; and, should I wish to become a botanist, I must first turn myself into a reptile.’”

In other contexts Johnson did use the word reptile to refer to people who were creepy but it isn’t thought that he had a particular distain for botanists.

You may have seen the portrait of Samuel Johnson peering at a book in his hand. As the painting shows, he was quite nearsighted.

What Johnson meant was that with his shortsightedness he’d have to creep along the ground on all fours to be able to see those things that it is necessary for a botanist to see.

In so saying Samuel Johnson expressed the ancient etymology of the word reptile.

Although Samuel Johnson was celebrated for his dictionary published in 1755, he didn’t have a great reputation as an etymologist.

seems to have understood reptile though.

The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots tells us that rep meant to “creep” or “slink.” This root made it into Latin as repere meaning “to creep” then through French to English by 1393 as reptile, originally meaning any creeping or crawling animal.

---

Five days a week Charles Hodgson produces Podictionary – the podcast for word lovers, Thursday episodes here at OUPblog. He’s also the author of several books including his latest History of Wine Words – An Intoxicating Dictionary of Etymology from the Vineyard, Glass, and Bottle.