Interesting Words (moved from Games)

 

Matthaeus

Vemortuicida strenuus

  • Civis Illustris

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Location:
Varsovia
lol reminds me of Polish "ubikacja", meaning "toilet, WC", from German "Ubikation", meaning "taking up space/place, localization", from Spanish ubicación, derived from "ubicar", meaning "to place", ultimately derived from Latin ubique.
 
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Etaoin Shrdlu

Guest

I had never heard of German Ubikation, so I looked it up. Duden tells me it is an archaic Austrian word for 'barracks'. I wonder if @Bitmap knew it, but shall probably continue to wonder, as he won't want to admit to reading this even if he actually does.

 
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Matthaeus

Vemortuicida strenuus

  • Civis Illustris

  • Patronus

Location:
Varsovia
I didn't either, but a quick Google search gave me the info.
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
The Dutch for "prison", "gevangenis", is much like "prison" itself: a noun derived from a verb meaning "to catch".
 
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Etaoin Shrdlu

Guest

Similarly in German. But I'm glad you're on merrily on your way to speaking the other main language of your country.
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
The Dutch for "prison", "gevangenis", is much like "prison" itself: a noun derived from a verb meaning "to catch".
There is a difference, however, if I'm interpreting it correctly: the English (derived from Latin via French) is originally an action noun, while the Dutch is rather a state noun (much like "captivity").
Similarly in German. But I'm glad you're on merrily on your way to speaking the other main language of your country.
I'm just having some Duolingo fun. That's not going to bring me anywhere near proficiency. But I could now utter a few useful things.
 
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Etaoin Shrdlu

Guest

Just out of curiosity, were you contemplating a life of crime that might result in involuntary confinement, or thinking of becoming a warden?
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
Neither; the word was just used in some Duolingo sentences.
 
 

Terry S.

Aedilis

  • Aedilis

  • Patronus

Location:
Hibernia
Neither; the word was just used in some Duolingo sentences.
Indeed. Like the time I sampled Duolingo Russian and encountered the word for elephant in the first few lessons. A vital piece of survival vocabulary that is.
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
Indeed. Like the time I sampled Duolingo Russian and encountered the word for elephant in the first few lessons. A vital piece of survival vocabulary that is.
The Dutch word for elephant is introduced quickly too, along with a few other animals.
 

Notascooby

Civis Illustris

  • Civis Illustris

Cozenage.

Reading Bunyan's 'A pilgrims progress' I came across; "This schoolmaster taught them the art of getting, either by violence, cozenage, flattery, lying or by putting on the guise of religion"

I suppose the act of "cozying up to someone" is called cozenage.
 
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Etaoin Shrdlu

Guest

'Cozenage' is deceit, and probably isn't related to 'cozy'. But I'm glad someone's still reading Bunyan. I have an idea that Shaw, of all people, held him in particular esteem.
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
Looking up the etymology of "cozenage", I discovered a Latin word—or rather rediscovered it, I guess, since it occurs in a couple of works I have read, but I had totally forgotten it: cocio.
 

Notascooby

Civis Illustris

  • Civis Illustris

'Cozenage' is deceit, and probably isn't related to 'cozy'. But I'm glad someone's still reading Bunyan. I have an idea that Shaw, of all people, held him in particular esteem.
"To cozy up to someone", when used in the negative sense, though not meaning deceit as I would understand it, still fits the context of how Bunyan uses "cozenage" in the quoted passage.

Also this https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/cozen#English
 

Notascooby

Civis Illustris

  • Civis Illustris

The etymologies of both words are fraught with maybes.
Not my area, it is an interesting word though.

Come to think of it is there a 'dodgy etymology thread anywhere?' I can't find anything through the search thing. Must be lots of funny or dodgy etymologies worth having a giggle at.
 
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Etaoin Shrdlu

Guest

I have a hazy notion that there was one for deliberately humorous etymologies, which is rather different. Pacifica would know. She remembers everything.
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
I have a hazy notion that there was one for deliberately humorous etymologies, which is rather different. Pacifica would know. She remembers everything.
I remember the thread that you've just mentioned, and also one for "false but amusing friends" (which can but does not necessarily involve false etymologies). That's all.
 
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