[FRIAM] Pondering weird english words

[Nick Thompson]

Hi, Gill, 

 

Words are FUN! Back in the old days, when Latin and one other language, usually French, were part of a standard education, most words had a double association, the association that we all have (RE-tired, to be tired again) and the association that arose from having encountered the root for the word in another language.  So, for instance, when I see “retired” I also see the French word “tirer”, to shoot, which would make the world mean “re-shot” or “shot back”.  But then I also have a vague recollection of a latin verb, meaning to draw, and that leads me to wonder if perhaps the original meaning had to do with bows and arrows and perhaps the underlying metaphor is to draw back the string of the bow again.  Now, all of this is probably wrong, and I will direct you to the correct etymology in  a second, but just to say that having brushed up against a bunch of languages fills one’s head with a bunch of stuff that normal people might find bemusing.  

 


So, try etymology.com.  Here is the entry for Retired <https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=retire> .  And here is the entire entry. 


retire (v.)


1530s, of armies, "to retreat," from Middle French retirer "to withdraw (something)," from re- "back" (see re- <https://www.etymonline.com/word/re-?ref=etymonline_crossreference> ) + Old French tirer "to draw" (see tirade <https://www.etymonline.com/word/tirade?ref=etymonline_crossreference> ). Related: Retired <https://www.etymonline.com/word/Retired?ref=etymonline_crossreference> ; retiring <https://www.etymonline.com/word/retiring?ref=etymonline_crossreference> . 

Meaning "to withdraw" to some place, especially for the sake of privacy, is recorded from 1530s; sense of "leave an occupation" first attested 1640s (implied in retirement). Meaning "to leave company and go to bed" is from 1660s. Transitive sense is from 1540s, originally "withdraw, lead back" (troops, etc.); meaning "to remove from active service" is from 1680s. Baseball sense of "to put out" is recorded from 1874. 

So you see, I was a little bit right, but mostly wrong.  But, right or wrong, the associations are always fun and the sense that every time you use a word, you are in the midst of a web of history is bracing.  

 

Once you get into this website, you may get lost in it.  This website is just a guy who fell in love with etymology, and so not necessarily “authoritative”.  Look at his bio under “Who Did This”.  He seems like the sort of guy who should come to FRIAM.

 

Nicholas S. Thompson

Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology

Clark University

http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/

 

From: Friam [mailto:friam-bounces at redfish.com] On Behalf Of Gillian Densmore
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2018 10:59 AM
To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group <friam at redfish.com>
Subject: [FRIAM] Pondering weird english words

 

While reading a book last night  talking about some characters relaxing. I've always been curious. If Re: is to do again. then what was laxing supposed to be?

Many people on this and the wed-tech list are REtired.  So do you get Tired again then quit being a worker ?

I seriously get these kind of words. 

Any guesses where they came from?

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