Comments on: Twerk, twerp, and other tw-words http://blog.oup.com/2013/03/twerk-twerp-tw-etymology-word-origin/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Fri, 24 May 2013 14:13:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Monthly etymological gleanings for March 2013 | OUPblog http://blog.oup.com/2013/03/twerk-twerp-tw-etymology-word-origin/#comment-388286 Monthly etymological gleanings for March 2013 | OUPblog Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:39:58 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=36732#comment-388286 [...] and twill. I was very pleased to learn from Stephen Goranson that twerp was already current in 1917. This confirms my suspicion that the word does not go back [...] [...] and twill. I was very pleased to learn from Stephen Goranson that twerp was already current in 1917. This confirms my suspicion that the word does not go back [...]

]]> By: John Cowan http://blog.oup.com/2013/03/twerk-twerp-tw-etymology-word-origin/#comment-372411 John Cowan Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:14:56 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=36732#comment-372411 I read the phrase as "hell iv a p'lite". I read the phrase as “hell iv a p’lite”.

]]> By: No great shakes? You are mistaken | OUPblog http://blog.oup.com/2013/03/twerk-twerp-tw-etymology-word-origin/#comment-369701 No great shakes? You are mistaken | OUPblog Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:53:24 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=36732#comment-369701 [...] am saying goodbye to the Harlem Shake. The miniseries began two weeks ago with dance, moved on to twerk and twerp, and now the turn of the verb shake has come round. Reference books say little about the [...] [...] am saying goodbye to the Harlem Shake. The miniseries began two weeks ago with dance, moved on to twerk and twerp, and now the turn of the verb shake has come round. Reference books say little about the [...]

]]> By: John Larsson http://blog.oup.com/2013/03/twerk-twerp-tw-etymology-word-origin/#comment-366975 John Larsson Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:07:53 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=36732#comment-366975 Not exactly "tw-" i English, but couldn't "thief" (in Danish "tyv", Swedish "tjuv") have its ancient origin in something "twi-", "bi-" or "dual"? Not exactly “tw-” i English, but couldn’t “thief” (in Danish “tyv”, Swedish “tjuv”) have its ancient origin in something “twi-”, “bi-” or “dual”?

]]> By: Stephen Goranson http://blog.oup.com/2013/03/twerk-twerp-tw-etymology-word-origin/#comment-366906 Stephen Goranson Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:39:16 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=36732#comment-366906 The OED's earliest use of twerp is from 1926. Here's one from 1917. Corks and Curls [U. of Virginia] 30 (1917) 302: [Mr. Dooley speaking] 'Why in hell don't ye pull out ye'er dam watch an' tell me what the hell the time is, dam it?' he says. 'Dammed if ye ain't a hell iv a p o'lite [letter missing in previous word, between p and o] twerp! says his frind. http://books.google.com/books?id=G9pKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA302&dq=twerp+-antwerp+intitle:corks&hl=en&sa=X&ei=X5tAUaXUC8fy0QG03oCIDw&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=twerp%20-antwerp%20intitle%3Acorks&f=false The OED’s earliest use of twerp is from 1926. Here’s one from 1917. Corks and Curls [U. of Virginia] 30 (1917) 302:
[Mr. Dooley speaking] ‘Why in hell don’t ye pull out ye’er dam watch an’ tell me what the hell the time is, dam it?’ he says. ‘Dammed if ye ain’t a hell iv a p o’lite [letter missing in previous word, between p and o] twerp! says his frind.
http://books.google.com/books?id=G9pKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA302&dq=twerp+-antwerp+intitle:corks&hl=en&sa=X&ei=X5tAUaXUC8fy0QG03oCIDw&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=twerp%20-antwerp%20intitle%3Acorks&f=false

]]> By: opsimathphd http://blog.oup.com/2013/03/twerk-twerp-tw-etymology-word-origin/#comment-366903 opsimathphd Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:33:13 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=36732#comment-366903 Actually, the word twill is right in line with the bi-partite section of your discussion. According to any number of eytmological sources, including the OED, its derivation is from words relating to bi-. (The earliest forms of weaving are simple over one-under one interlacings. The earliest twills, though, begin with over two-under two: hence the name.) Here is the OED entry for twilly, which is apparently the ultimate ancestor of twill: Old English twili (= Old High German zwilîh ), formed after Latin bilix < twi- twi- comb. form: compare thrile adj. The Middle English var. twile is parallel to thrile , the reduced form of thrili , and is the source of the northern twill. And I really enjoy reading your blog! Actually, the word twill is right in line with the bi-partite section of your discussion. According to any number of eytmological sources, including the OED, its derivation is from words relating to bi-. (The earliest forms of weaving are simple over one-under one interlacings. The earliest twills, though, begin with over two-under two: hence the name.)

Here is the OED entry for twilly, which is apparently the ultimate ancestor of twill:

Old English twili (= Old High German zwilîh ), formed after Latin bilix < twi- twi- comb. form: compare thrile adj. The Middle English var. twile is parallel to thrile , the reduced form of thrili , and is the source of the northern twill.

And I really enjoy reading your blog!

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