street etymology

Street Etymology

Street etymology refers to the informal, folk explanation of the origin of a word or phrase. These explanations are often based on folk etymology, which is the incorrect or fanciful derivation of a word from another similar-sounding word.

Meaning and Origin

The term "street etymology" was coined by the linguist Albert H. Marckwardt in 1955 to describe the "unofficial, popular, and often whimsical attempts at deriving word histories." These explanations are often based on a superficial resemblance between two words or phrases, rather than on actual linguistic evidence.

Common Types of Street Etymology

Common types of street etymology include:

• Folk etymology: Deriving a word from another word that sounds similar but has no historical connection. Example: "Windbreaker" being thought to be derived from "windbreak," when it actually comes from the German "Windjacke."
• Back-formation: Creating a new word by removing part of an existing word that is incorrectly perceived as a suffix. Example: "Caterpillar" being back-formed from "caterpiller," which was once the correct spelling.
• Elaboration: Adding details to a word's origin that are not historically accurate. Example: "Valentine's Day" being said to have originated with a Roman saint named Valentine, despite the lack of reliable evidence.

Examples of Street Etymology

• "Cockroach" being derived from "cockroach" (an insect that infests ships)
• "Yahoo" being derived from "Yahoos" (the fictional race of brutes in Gulliver's Travels)
• "Christmas" being derived from "Christ's mass" (the Christian tradition of celebrating Christ's birth)
• "Asparagus" being derived from "sparrow grass" (due to its similarity to sparrow grass)
• "Hamburger" being derived from "Hamburg steak" (a German meat dish)

Importance of Street Etymology

While street etymology is often inaccurate, it can provide insight into the cultural and linguistic beliefs of a society. It demonstrates how people try to make sense of the unfamiliar or complex by connecting it to something more familiar or relatable.

street relate terms

• backstreet

  Etymology The term backstreet is a compound word consisting of two elements Back Re

• back

  Etymology The word back is derived from the Old English word bæc which meant back

• street

  Street Etymology Street etymology refers to the informal folk explanation of the origin

• cross street

  Etymology Cross derived from the Old English cros meaning a cross in the shape of

• street

  Street Etymology Street etymology refers to the informal folk explanation of the origin

• stray

  Etymology Stray derives from Middle English straien meaning to wander or to stra

• highway

  Etymology The word highway is derived from the Old English words hēah high and w

• piazza

  Etymology The word piazza originates from the Italian word piazza which itself deriv

• hunky dory

  Etymology Hunky Possibly from Hungarian hunk meaning brawn or muscle Dory Mea

• flare up

  Etymology The word flare up is derived from the Middle English word flaren meaning

• gate

  Etymology The word gate comes from the Old English word geat which means an openi

• short

  Etymology Etymology noun comes from the Greek words étymos true and logos wo

• avenue

  Etymology The word avenue derives from the French word avenue which in turn comes fr

• alley

  Etymology The word alley comes from the Old French word alée which means a passage