Weird Word Stuff

I thought it would be fun to have a post about weird words, etymology, weird word usage, etc.

Earlier, while reading the dictionary, I noticed that the word "coddle" can mean to treat with extreme care but also means to cook slowly just below the boiling point. Gives a whole new meaning to "coddling a baby."

Also... "You're welcome." What does that mean? What are you welcome to? Are you welcome to thank me more?

just wanted to say that irregardless is a double negative and not a word, contrary to majority belief.

Why does "Amen" survive at the end of prayers? Isn't that derived from Egyptian times, referring to Amen Ra- the Sun god?

Anyone in here that speaks Hebrew want to explain that article of languange?

Hahahah.. I love that one.

And it's "mischievous," not "mischievious."

Though that seemed logical, the actual etymology is "Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin āmēn, from Greek, from Hebrew ’āmēn, certainly, verily, from ’āman, to be firm."

At least according to Answers.com

Ah, but where did it come from in Hebrew? Where are these ancient Hebrew scholars when you need them... It's like they're on every street corner until something goes wrong and suddenly they're nowhere to be found.

Well, it is Passover, the celebration of the Jews escape from Egyptian slavery, which they were under for hundreds of years. So who knows, maybe they did pick it up from them pharoas.

Did you know that "gullible" isn't a real word either? Look it up in any dictionary an you won't find it.

*starts counting*

http://www.webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=gullible&x=0&y=0

: easily duped or cheated

I was just now speaking to a person that uses English as a second language. I said I was eating breakfast. He said he likes to eat slow. He knew and was joking himself, but I explained that breakfast means to eat in the morning. Fast means to not eat. Break means to change a pattern. So while you sleep at night you are not eating so when you wake up, you eat to break-fast.

I made that all up, but it seems plausible. LOL.

I always liked the word, Discombobulated.

You would think the opposite would be simply, Combobulated, but that word doesnt exist.

You made it up, but its true!

here

-Ghoti

LOL, I thought it made sense. I had never really given it a thought before this morning.

Dictionary.com -

amen

This Hebrew word means firm, and hence also faithful (Rev. 3:14). In Isa. 65:16,
the Authorized Version has "the God of truth," which in Hebrew is "the God of
Amen." It is frequently used by our Saviour to give emphasis to his words,
where it is translated "verily." Sometimes, only, however, in John's Gospel, it
is repeated, "Verily, verily." It is used as an epithet of the Lord Jesus Christ
(Rev. 3:14). It is found singly and sometimes doubly at the end of prayers (Ps.
41:13; 72:19; 89:52), to confirm the words and invoke the fulfilment of them.
It is used in token of being bound by an oath (Num. 5:22; Deut. 27:15-26; Neh.
5:13; 8:6; 1 Chr. 16:36). In the primitive churches it was common for the
general audience to say "Amen" at the close of the prayer (1 Cor. 14:16). The
promises of God are Amen; i.e., they are all true and sure (2 Cor. 1:20).

Spoiler!

I suspected as much. Come on... "enlightenment," "shed some light" (meaning "to bring truth" to a situation), "illuminati." Sun god.

Also, there is the theory that Hebrew letters were created by shining light through a rotating prism containing a vortex, the same vortex found under the eye of Horus-- Blah blah blah... read that site.

Sun god == One God.

Not that I'm religious, I'm not, but this crap is interesting- and it's interesting how many "light" metaphors for truth there are.

I've got a love for the word "Antidisestablishmentarianism." Despite the length and my only vaguely-remembered knowledge of its definition, it rolls off the tongue surprisingly well.

I learned that word in high school anatomy class. I don't remember why, though. Kind of a strange place to be picking up non-latin (or unanatomical) words.

Procompsognathus is a difficult word for me to say.

And I feel dirty in a sexual way when I say "plecostomus."

I love the word "polymath".

The word window was originally 'wind hole'.

"Undulate" always makes me grin.

And I always liked Orchid, as a flower and as a word.