Noun: A clever person, a person with ingenuity or cunning
Origin of Phrase "Clever Etymology":
The phrase "clever etymology" refers to a word or phrase whose etymology is particularly insightful or revealing. It can also refer to a word or phrase whose meaning has evolved over time in a clever or ironic way.
Examples of Clever Etymologies:
Awkward: From Old Norse "afugr," meaning "turned away," reflecting the idea of someone who is turned away from social graces.
Barbecue: From Taíno (an Indigenous Caribbean language) "barbacoa," meaning "raised grill," implying that the cooking is done above direct heat.
Entrepreneur: From French "entreprendre," meaning "to undertake," reflecting the idea of a person who takes on a risky venture.
Gossip: From Middle English "godsibb," meaning "godparent," originally referring to the gossiping that often occurred at christenings.
Hangover: From Old English "hangoþer," meaning "headache following drunkenness," capturing the unpleasant aftermath of excessive alcohol consumption.
Clever Etymologies in Literature:
Authors often play with the etymologies of words and phrases to create clever effects or highlight hidden meanings. For example:
In Samuel Beckett's play "Waiting for Godot," the character Pozzo says, "Words are what is left when all is lost." This line suggests that words are all that remain after the loss of meaning or purpose, reflecting the play's themes of existentialism and absurdity.
In Emily Dickinson's poem "Because I could not stop for Death," the speaker says, "We passed the School, where Children strove / At Recess – in the Ring – / We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – / We passed the Setting Sun –". Here, the use of the word "passed" as both a verb (meaning "moved by") and a tense (past tense) subtly implies that the speaker has passed beyond life into the realm of death.
