DIG THE ANTIQUE SEMANTICS

themanualbot (70)in #english • 8 years ago

People transform so as words. In this case, the words would undergo in either amelioration (improvement of word meaning) or pejoration (change to negative meaning of word). Before we can appreciate the beauty of such transformation, we have to mull over the words' etymoloy.

Take for instance: the word "nice" is probably one of the most common ways to express a complememnt. However, this case if nice is equal to "gratitude" is only applicable to the current era of semantics. Try to disclose those words in front of folks who lived centuries before such as the renowned William Shakespeare and King James II. For sure, you would end up the conversation with a red face, torn garments or worst, arrowed flesh. Why?

Read on to comprehend the old folk's non-verbal communication:

FOND

Then: from the Middle English word fon which means fool. This also means silly or mad.
Example: Jamie found it too fond to choose a dancing career over a scholarship offer.
Now: feeling love, affection, or preference for somebody or something
Example: Jamie is fond of cutting out photos of successful people to be used as her inspiration.

GIRL

Then: refers to a child of either sex
Example: Having a girl was the couple's ambition.
Now: a female child
Example: Having a girl in the family is of a great advantage especially in doing chores.

WEIRD

Then: on Old English word which means fate, destiny; that which comes about.
Example: There is no such thing as weird, only unexplained circumstances.
Now: strange or unusual; belonging to or suggesting the supernatural.
Example: Ventriloquism is a weird skill.

TRAUNT

Then: a word during the 13th century which means "someone who begged out of choicebthan necessary, idle rouge, bogus beggar".
Example: I can always see that traunt carrying a tin can outside the department store.
Now: somebody who is absent without permission or good reason, especially from school.
Example: I can only see my traunt classmate come in to class during major exams.

GOSSIP

Then: a word during the Old English which means "godparent".
Example: My gossip surprisingly came to our house during my graduation.
Now: conversation about personal details of other people's lives, whether rumor or fact.
Example: When a woman passed, the two girls stared at each other and grinned. Gossip is to be expected.

NOTORIOUS

Then: this is a borrowed word from the Medieval Latin which means "commonly or generally known or famous".
Example: The government official was notorious of his outreach programs.
Now: well known for some undesirable feature, quality or act.
Example: The government official was notorious of corruption.

CLOWN

Then: the earliest meaning used to this word was "unsophisticated or boorish country fellow".
Example: The clown would always go alone to the canteen.
Now: somebody who behaves comically.
Example: The clown in the canteen is the center of attraction during thw lunch break.

NICE

Then: derived from the Latin word "nescius" which means "ignorant". This word means foolish, silly or ignorant during the Medieval English.
Example: Even nice questions e.g childish wonders can also lead people to discovering scientific breakthroughs.
Now: kind, showing courtesy, friendliness or consideration.
Example: A student asked that nice question which made the speaker point out one by one the disadvantages of technology.

You might already have an idea of why the above conversation ended badly. Anyway, that was what we call as "COMMUNICATION GAP".

@themanualbot
I'm not a bot, bot means "best of time".