Alright, today, I’d like to have a very brief discussion about two words that are often confused in everyday speech: Etymology and Entomology.
Etymology
Pronounced “eh-ta-MAH-lo-gee” (/ɛtəmalədʒi/), Etymology is the study of the origin of words. Many words end up in English after traveling through several languages and permutations, and often, the etymology of words can be fascinating.
For instance, according the Oxford American Dictionary, the etymology of the word “Orange” is as follows:
ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French orenge (in the phrase pomme d’orenge), based on Arabic nāranj, from Persian nārang.
Sometimes, words will be incorporated into other languages at different stages in its evolution. Those of you who speak Spanish will likely recognize “Naranja” as a pretty clear derivation from the Arabic. However, the modern Russian word for orange, “aranzhevii”, is likely an import from later in the word’s evolution, perhaps from the French.
Keep in mind, though, not all words have a clear etymology. For instance, there’s still considerable debate about the origin of the word/phrase “OK” (see here, here, and the Wikipedia page).
Etymology is a really fascinating area. I’ve posted many times about different word origins (here, here and here, to start), and I’ll likely continue to do so, as they’re usually pretty interesting. Giving word origins can also be quite an entertaining party trick, too, if you’re sufficiently nerdy.
Entomology (pronounced “en-ta-MAH-lo-gee” (/ɛntəmalədʒi/)), on the other hand, is the study of insects. That’s right. Creepy, crawly insects.
Although the Wikipedia article on the subject will be able to tell you much more about this science, my main point is that Entomology is very, very different from etymology.
“So, how does the study of insects pertain to this phrase…?”
Very frequently, people will ask me for the “entomology” of a word, and it can be quite difficult sometimes to avoid discussing how the word relates to insects. I understand that they’re both unusual words, and I also understand that they’re pretty similar, but at the same time, I beg you, please note the difference.
Etymologies are a truly fascinating subject, and can really help a person grow closer to the language they speak. I’m sure that Entomology is cool too, although personally, I prefer suffixes to centipedes. That’s just me, though.
PS: I’ve just added a link under “Language Sites and Blogs” that gives the Etymology of all 50 US state names. Very cool site, and highly related.
Tagged with Conventional Linguistics, Language Usage, Speech and Grammar Errors, Words, Phrases, and Idioms | 10 Comments
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Those two are often confused, agreed.
I remember talking to someone about something or other, could have been some lay attempt at historical language reconstruction, such as deciding when exactly English ‘stopped being German’ or something horrible like that. Anyway, I said at one point but look at the phonology at which point they looked at me with beffudlement, and proceeded to touch my scalp.
Phonology I maintained, Not phrenology!
Jangari beat me to it!
I got an awful lot of weird looks the semester I took phonology. I think things were clearer for people when they thought I was studying head bumps, though!
C’mon, you of all people should accept that words can be repurposed, especially if they sound like some other word. Perhaps a different spelling would help? Intemology (In-tuh-MAH-lo-gee): the study of how liking insects too much can lead to new words.
BTW, is it true that ‘Butterfly’ was originally ‘Flutterby’? A perfect example of Intemology if so!
[...] is an inflammation of the Costal cartilages, and actually, that’s well reflected in the Etymology (origin) of the word. “Costo-” seems to pretty straightforwardly reference the Costal [...]
Mike,
I’ve just done a little research and found that there’s some debate about whether butterflys once fluttered by. The dictionary claims it came from the pale yellow “butter” color, and also suggests that people at one time thought they ate butter. A site about butterflies ( http://www.aworldforbutterflies.com/etymology.htm ) doesn’t mention the flutterby story at all.
However, I’ve heard the Flutterby explanation from reputable sources too. Apparently ABC news claimed that that was the case. I’m not entirely sure, good question, and you’re right, it’s a perfect example of Intemology, if you’d like to found a field. :)
Will
[...] for transliterations and word meanings. Corrections are always welcome. Unless otherwise noted, all etymologies are from the Oxford American Dictionary included in OS [...]
I have researched this all over the place to no avail.
Do you know the origins and meaning of the name prefix FA or FAB?
My last name : FABEC is a Croatian or Slovenian name (pronounced FABETS in Yugoslavia)( He was from north eastern Yugoslavia somewhere.
Do you know the origins and meaning of the name MASLO ?
Its my Grandmothers maiden name…she was from a village outside of Ljublana, Yugoslavia.
Karen,
I’m not sure about the “fa”/”fab”, but you might well want to look at “fav” as well. It’s not unusual for a name with a v to have it turn into a b periodically.
Maslo, on the other hand, rings a definite bell. The Russian word for “butter” is “maslo”, so it’s possible that there’s a relation there between the noun and the name. You might check to see what the Slovenian word for butter is, but I’d not be shocked if it was similar to the Russian.
Hope that’s helpful!
Will
Thanks Will…how kind of you to reply. Ill check out your suggestions. Well you rang a bell…because now I remember that when I was about 12 my Grandma did tell me that Maslo meant butter ! You know Ive never been to Yugoslavia…but I have all kinds of dreams about being there or around that area in ancient times, as a man and as a woman. I think that DNA may carry impressions or memories of events and places of the past…or a code that65 somehow turns on the spirit spiral energy that carries past, life memory.. When Ias a little girl in Pittsburgh I had several dreams about other places and people. One was in North Africa and I was some scholarly well dressed 18th century man… seems Italian or Eastern European, and I was returning artifacts to a tribe in the desert. Well when I finally travelled to north Africa I actually met remaining elder member of the tribe and I saw places and remembered more details of the events in yhe dream. Anybody jhave similar experiences? I wish I could follow the migrations of people in my family or any culture back and back through the generations. ..to see what they did and how they did iyt and wha6t thw world was like over long periods of time and no major changes. Everything changes so fast now.Id love to know what brought families to have certain last names…I suppose they mustve been local dairy farmers specializing in churning out some butter for th area. The butter people! I wish we had a sightseeing time machine. I found out Fav is old Italian for bean …perhaps in the areaas near Italy it became Fab…were thgey bean growers? Funny because I do love beans too.
Someone told me also that there is a name for a little horse of the steppes called a Fabosh. The Fabec sheild is a horseshoe and my grandfather had that Northern sssssssslavic/Nomad look about him thick black hair and dark skin with large lMongolian lids but without the Mongolian fold. Anybody ever hearof this name for a horse like that? My moms maiden name is Yug. Yugoslavian also…but she has no ida what part she comes from. Her sudeare tiny people with strong bones and very strong fingernails dark skin, but reddish blonde hair and bright blue eyes her mom had tight wavy hair and almost mulatto features as did some girls in a photograph with my great granm a Maslo who looked like american Indian…all her kids looked very different too. I guess Everybody invaded there. She died in a Nazi camp from starvation …I beleive they thought she was a Gypsy,,,and she may have been too. No one is alive that I know who knows her first name. They lived in a village ouside of Ljublana and ran a tiny travelers country inn. Her daughter Pauline married John Fabec and came to America and settled in Verona, outside of Pittsburgh PA. If anyone out there knows her name or has any info on Fabec. Yug. or Maslo who settled in Pittsburgh PA in the districts of Lawrenceville or Verona – Please leave a note and ill leave my phone# and perhaps we can chat. I really want to know my family’s past, or to talk to any of my grandparents freinds who may still be alive or a younger relative who was around when i WAS a little girl IN PITTSBURGH around 1956. Like pretty strawberry blonde curly haired Sylvana who was related to my grandmothers sister I think, perhaps by marriage….who just had a newborn and didnt speak English yet – How I wish Id known her last name -I can still see her. I cant afford those professional online lineage searches. Thanks, Karena…I live in San Francisco CA now.
Hello Karen,
Did you live in Sweden around 1969 known as Arih? Do you remeamber an old milk truck traveling across Canada to British Columbia? The Karen (Arih) that I knew was from Pittsburgh and had strawberry blond hair. Your January 15th entry has the same spirit of the girl I knew in Stockholm.
Jakki