One of my assignments involves tracing semantic histories of words. I think it's important that we all know this:
"Egregious" was originally composed of Latinate morphemes that literally meant "towering above the flock." This was a metaphorical composition; the word meant "remarkable in a good sense."
But everyone was so ironic, guys. So now the word means bad. Really, really bad. Since everyone was so ironic all of the time.
I'm sort of tempted to tell my professor about our reanalysis of the word, and how it now has an entirely different meaning, but I don't really like sharing in that class.
6 comments:
very cool. why are you doing this? i thought modern linguistics had 'transcended' etymology. i guess i was wrong.
also. kim and i were THIS close (THIS is an indexical unit, referencing the contextual gesture i made as a typed it (don't ask what the gesture was (it was obscene (as is my usage of parentheses in this sentence)))) to seeing rachel. unfortunately, she didn't show. it was a tragedy. and still is.
also, see how much i know about pragmatics? i think not a lot. but i thought i'd share, since laura did, too.
Mac, I like you.
It's a class on the structure and history of English words. I thought I told you that before. Anyway, it's not really an appropriate primer to 'modern' linguistics. It's actually just pedantic.
i like you, too! also, you probably did tell me, but i forgot. i have a bad memory. my linguistics prof is pedantic. also badly spoken.
p.s. your face is pedantic.
I like both of you! Does that mean I win? (Well, I guess I'd only win if you both had really bad self-esteem, because I'm guessing you like yourselves just as much as I like you, if not more. But whatever.)
But anyway, that's interesting. I think of Noah often now, because in my hiking class (PE credit ahoy) there are two instructors with the exact same Michael/Noah dynamic: a lanky guy with a big nose trying to be a camp counselor, and a shorter guy with dark hair who seems like he knows more in general but is less obnoxious about it.
Bizarro Noah and I already have the unspoken animosity, too, because he didn't like how I played the stupid ice breaker game he made us do. It's actually eerie.
Ooo, that was a bit scathing Olivia (can I call you Liv?). This reminds me of a funny little anecdote: one time I fell asleep in the living room of the House. I was accompanied by Valerie and Aditya, I think, who were sprawled on other couches. But, when I awoke a couple of hours later I was all alone in the semi-dark room with no one by Michael, sitting in a chair. It was one of the creepier experiences of my life. I'm not sure I do it justice and it may have been creepier had Michael just been starring at me when I woke up (I actually think he was reading). Maybe that twilight-zone grogginess makes everything creepy....I ramble.
Julieta - those couches were ridiculously good for naps!
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