formalistic etymology

Formalistic Etymology

Meaning: An approach to etymology that focuses on the formal similarities between words, rather than on their historical origins or semantic relationships. It assumes that words with similar sounds or structures must share a common origin.

Origin: The term was coined by linguist Ferdinand de Saussure in his book, "Course in General Linguistics," published posthumously in 1916. Saussure argued that language is a system of signs, and that the relationship between a signifier (sound or word) and its signified (concept or meaning) is arbitrary. He believed that formal similarities between words could provide clues to their potential origin, even if historical evidence was lacking.

Key Features:

• Emphasizes the superficial similarities between words, such as sound, structure, or grammatical form.
• Ignores semantic connections or historical changes that may have influenced the words' meanings.
• Assumes that words with similar forms must share a common ancestral language, regardless of their semantic differences.

Criticisms:

• Can lead to erroneous conclusions, as words with similar forms may not always share a common origin.
• Oversimplifies the complex processes of language change and evolution.
• Ignores the role of semantic and contextual factors in shaping word meanings.

Examples:

• Identifying the English word "knight" with the German word "Knecht" (servant) based on their similar sounds.
• Connecting the Latin word "lupus" (wolf) with the Sanskrit word "vrkas" (wolf) based on their similar grammatical forms.

Implications:

While formalistic etymology can provide some insights into potential word relationships, it is considered an outdated and unreliable approach in modern linguistics. It has been replaced by more rigorous methods that incorporate historical, semantic, and comparative evidence to determine the origins and meanings of words.

formalistic relate terms

• formalism

  Etymology The term formalism is derived from the Latin word forma meaning form

• formal

  Etymology Formal comes from the Latin word formalis which is derived from forma mea

• moon

  Etymology The word moon originates from the Old English word mōna which in turn co

• candidate

  Etymology The word candidate comes from the Latin candidus meaning white In anci

• decision

  Etymology Late Middle English from Anglo Norman French descisioun from Latin decisio

• sorry

  Etymology From Middle English sori from Old English sārig meaning sorrowful sa

• synagogue

  Etymology Latin synagōga Greek συναγωγή sunagōgē Meaning A Jewish h

• orient

  Etymology The word orient originates from the Old French orient which itself derive

• posh

  Etymology Middle English posch posshe Anglo Norman French poche from Old French po

• admonish

  Etymology From Old French admonester from Medieval Latin admonestāre from Latin admo

• curry

  Etymology The word curry is derived from the Tamil word kari which means sauce or

• squirrel

  Etymology and Meaning The word squirrel is derived from the Middle English word squir