Language peeves and the word peeve
The Oxford Etymologist considers the etymology of the word “peeve.”
The Oxford Etymologist considers the etymology of the word “peeve.”
The Oxford Etymologist responds to readers comments on his most recent blog post topics.
The Oxford Etymologist responds to readers comments on his most recent blog post topics.
The Oxford Etymologist responds to readers comments on his most recent blog post topics.
The Oxford Etymologist explores the history and development of the verb “flaunt”, “to display ostentatiously,”
The Oxford Etymologist answers readers’ questions about American English vowels, the word “night”, and “love” in English and Greek.
Quite naturally, speakers connect words that sound alike. From a strictly scholarly point of view, “sore” and “sorrow” are unrelated, but for centuries, people thought differently, and folk etymology united the two long ago.
The Oxford Etymologist looks at the origin of the word “day” and its connections across the Indo-European language world.
The Oxford Etymologist tackles the convoluted history of “bud” and “buddy” – the final part of the series.
The Oxford Etymologist tackles the convoluted history of “bud” and “buddy”.
Observing how various words for “friend” originate and develop is a rather curious enterprise.
All over the Indo-European map, the main word of negation begins with “n”. What is in this sound that invites denial, refutation, or repulsion?
The Oxford Etymologist dives into the history and meaning of the word “coward” – and what does cowardice have to do with custard?
The root of riddle “puzzle,” from rædels(e), is Old English rædan “to read.”
Problems emerge the moment we begin to explore the history of filch, because two homonymous verbs exist: filch “to attack” and filch “to steal.” They are almost certainly unrelated.
Three English words sound as rake: the garden instrument, the profligate, and a sailing term meaning “inclination from the perpendicular.” Though at first sight, they do not seem to be connected, I’ll try to show that their histories perhaps intertwine.