The surprising origins of common words that you use all the time
Of lawyer in Walrus, these words have backstories to the jaw.
If you recovered the time back to 1776 and calledGeorge Washington A "nice guy", "he will probably strike you square in the jaw. And that does not mean Washington was not a nice guy - in fact,by all accountsHe was-but rather that "nice" simply means something completely different today than for a few centuries a few years ago. Yes, we all know thatthe language is ever changingAnd that nothing is written in stone. People evolve; Words evolve with them. But sometimes this evolution comes from so far on the left field thatYou will have trouble believing The word could ever mean what he does today. Dive deep into etymology and you will find seriously shocking origins of words that you use all the time. Here is the 13 of the biggest fall of the jaw. And for more words of words that will blow you, checkThe amazing origins of the terms of the argot of every day that you constantly use.
1 Attractive
Call someone "Nice" is always nice, right? Well…
See, "Gentil"to roots LatinNescius, or "ignorant". As the Word headed for ancient English, he gathered a more moved definition: "stupid." It was not before the 19th century that "nice" meant, well, "nice." Needless to say, the word has luggage. And for more language courses, check50 words that you hear every day but I do not know what they mean.
2 Bootleging
Today, "bootleging" is in no way an official term - but it is always very illegal.American code It is sufficient to refer to "unauthorized fixation and processes sound recordings". So, why are we in the conflicting way of "unauthorized traffic" like "bootleging?"
Well, the answer is a boozy doozy: the return in the American ban, the alcoholic smugglers literally hide bottles of liquor in their boots, flush against the leg. It's pretty much as "unauthorized traffic" as you can get. When alcohol has become legal, the term "bootleging" has been applied to other property. And today we are applying things you can not literally bootleg. (Can you go through a digital file in your shoes? Yeah-thought so.)
3 Lawyer
"Lawyer" is the Spanish wordaguaceous. Of course, there is nothing too clumsy about it. Cornaguaceous Comes from Aztecahuacatl, who had two meanings. A lawyer". Two: "testicle". And for the terms, you should crack your lexicon as you get older,These are all argot terms that you are too old to use after 40.
4 Index
Thisus, the figure of old Greek mythology could have been great to make heroic acts, but it was not so good with directions. So when he went to kill the minotaur, in the labyrinth under the Palace of Minos in Knossos, he brought with him a thread bullet, with the daughter of the daughter of Minos, Ariadne. (If you're wondering, yes, Thisus and Ariadne had a wetting. And yes, like all Greek legends, she met an unfortunate end when the hero had had no use for her.) Theique simply unfolded the thread As he went, and it helped guide him at the entrance of the labyrinth, like a set of notes, or clues.
The Greek word for the wire bullet at the time?Index.
5 Mortgage
The mortgage is derived from two French words:dead, or "dead" andgauge, or "commitment". So, literally, "death commitment". It's a good thing to consider before signing a bleeding contract for decades and silver bleeding. And for the most trepensive terms of your childhood,This is the most popular slang word of the year when you were born.
6 Disaster
In Latin,disaster simply means "left." But in the 1500s, people who were leftist were perceived as demons - then "sinister" quickly started to mean "bad". And for linguistic facts, the latest news and more delivered in your inbox,Sign up for our daily newsletter.
7 Walrus
A walrus does not look like a horse or a whale. And yet, this is where this majestic beast is considered an amalgam of two old Dutch words for "horse" and "whale". That said, no one knows that the absolute is certain where the word comes. Even J.R.R. Tolkein, this level-nine black tongue belt,was beaten by the etymology of the word.
8 Whiskey
According toMerriam Webster, "Whiskey" is an abbreviated truth ofwhiskeybae, which itself is a variant of the ScotsUSQUEBAUGH. But that's not all:USQUEBAUGH allegedly at etymologistic roots inLifestyle, a popular Latin phrase that you could recognize as signifying "the water of life". So, Macallan 18 years old is the essence of life? Boo-yah.
9 Chafe / Driver
The chafing is the worst. There are entire industries dedicated to the minimization of its effects. (Thank you, the sea!) Everyone hates chafing. So, it's a bit awkward, then, this "heated" and "driver" -Nice, polite people, generally - both come from the Frenchsharfe. And for the words you use who will arouse an empty look of young people,Old Slang Terms Children born after 2000 will never understand.
10 Dunce
In the Middle Ages, John Duns Scotus was considered one of the great thinkers of the time. His work on the metaphysics and univocity of being "are fundamental of philosophy today (whether or not you agree with them).
But, at the moment when the 16th century rolled, his reputation quickly reserved. According toMerriam WebsterHis shallow up refused to follow the increasing tide of humanistic thinking at the time and were quickly considered "dunes" idiots. By calling someone an Dunence, you do not call them unintelligent.
11 Sandwich
As history is happening, John Montagu, the 4th Count of Sandwich-a region of Kent, England, invented the sandwich. But the circumstances of said invention are in place for the debate. In a said, Montagulove To play and eat salted beef at the same time, but I did not want to get his cards covered with fat. In the other telling, he just liked to work so much and did not want to get his papers covered with fat.
In any case, that's why a sandwich today is a sandwich: a bureaucrat of the eighteenth century did not want to dirty his hands, and now we have an end to the permanent currency.
12 Muscular
Translate "muscle" in Latin and you get "little mouse". Tellthis AUDS Hogger the squat rack in your gym. (When the Latin word was invented for the first time, people thought that the flexion of the muscles seemed similar to country mice below the tense skin.)
13 Quiz
InGlanings and reminiscences, Frank Thrope Potter tells the original story of "quiz". As the legend said, a Dublin theater owner hit a bet: he could mint a word in the lexicon within 48 hours. Thus, he quickly distributed a lot of pieces of paper that read, simply, "quiz". People could not understand; They thought it was a kind of test: a quiz, if you want.
However, it should be noted that there are tale disputes. The story of Potter takes place in 1791. But in 1790, a popular toy named Quiz hit the market. Embarrassing…