pathological etymology

Meaning:

Pathological etymology refers to the erroneous or non-standard derivation of words based on false assumptions or superficial similarities.

Origin:

The term "pathological etymology" was coined by German philologist August Schleicher in the 19th century.

Explanation:

Pathological etymology occurs when people attempt to explain the origin of a word based on its sound or appearance, rather than its true historical development. This can lead to amusing or incorrect explanations.

Examples:

• Cucumber is often assumed to derive from "cow and amber" because of its greenish-yellow color, but it actually comes from the Middle English "cocomer" and the Latin "cucumis."
• Shrimp is often said to come from the Anglo-Saxon "shrimpe," meaning "to wrinkle," because of its wrinkly shell, but it actually derives from the Old Norse "skreppa," meaning "dry shell."
• Broccoli, mistakenly thought to be derived from the Italian "brocco" (small nail), actually comes from the Latin "brachium" (branch), referring to the broccoli plant's branching stalks.

Consequences of Pathological Etymology:

Pathological etymology can lead to:

• Incorrect historical knowledge of word origins
• Misinterpretations of texts and historical documents
• Linguistic confusion and misinformation

pathological relate terms

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• vegetative

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• dissociate

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• cracker jack

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