The
etymology of a word is the linguistic history and origins of the term, and
provides facts on the varying derivations and formations it has undergone since
its conception. The term etymology itself refers to the formal study and theory
of the origins of words. The term is comprised of two parts, the Greek word
etymon meaning “true sense” which in turn was derived from etymos “true, real, natural” and –logia, “study of, a speaking of”.
It originated in the 14th century via Latin from the Greek word etymologia and emerged in Old French as ethimologie and Modern French as etymologie. It first appeared in De
Proprietatibus Rerum (On the Order of Things) by
Bartholomew de Glanville in the 14th century, as he describes the
importance of etymologies and the setting of the name.
As the definitions of words are capable
of changing so dramatically, many individuals forgo the importance of a word’s
derivations and simply consider its most present meaning. Etymologies serve
great importance as it demonstrates the relationships between languages and reveals
the culture and characteristics of language as a whole. Contemporary social and
political trends are reflected by the transitions of words, particularly
through the usage of slang. By determining the linkages between certain words
that are similar in different languages, linguists are able to infer
approximate dates on the encounter or contact between different cultures.
A major focal point regarding
etymologies is the origin of language. The act of finding the sources of words
date back to the first human documentation although it was not formally
assigned the title of etymology until the Medieval era. The study of
etymologies question the development of language, and historically, has spawned
heated debates from literary critics. Famously, Plato’s Cratylus, argues that
the physical characteristics and nature of the objects greatly influence the
phonetics of its name. Formal language emerged as a result of the agreed
convention of these sounds. Contrary to this, Aristotle simply perceived words
as symbols and sounds collectively denoted meaning by population. As evidenced
by the term’s root to etymos, also truth, Stoics believed that names were
used to characterize the tangible object, and revealed the overall truth of
things. Additionally, etymologies were absolutely vital in academics in the
Middle Ages. Isidore of Seville’s Etymologiae,
one of first major introductions to etymologies, stressed the importance of
educating oneself on etymologies. “Unless you know the name, the understanding
of things vanishes … Every inquiry into a thing [or subject] is clearer when
the etymology is known.“
In the modern era,
linguists no longer support the belief of the origin of the word as the true,
essential meaning as Plato and the Stoics had believed due to the constant
evolution of words. The era often skews the definition of words to suit their
present ideals. People often adopt words that may not necessarily be used
correctly in their conventional sense and its collective usage may eventually
change the definition, extending its etymology.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Oxford University Press. "Etymology." Oxford
English Dictionary . www.oed.com.proxy.lib.uwaterloo.ca/ (accessed November 15,
2012).
Howatson, M. C. . "etymology." The Oxford Companion
to Classical Literature (3 ed.) .
www.oxfordreference.com.proxy.lib.uwaterloo.ca/ (accessed November 15, 2012).
Vauchez, André. "etymology." Encyclopedia of the
Middle Ages. www.oxfordreference.com.proxy.lib.uwaterloo.ca/ (accessed November
16, 2012).
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