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- Title
The Etymologies of Some Terms of Disparagement: Culprit, Get (and Brat), Gull, Job, Niggle, Prig, Vagrant.
- Authors
Sayers, William
- Abstract
The article addresses the etymologies of the English words culprit, get, brat, gull, job, niggle, prig, and vagrant. The author acknowledges the disparaging nature of these terms and presents information on the lexicography of the words based on research in the "Oxford English Dictionary" (OED) and the books "Dictionary of the English Language." He reports that the word culprit originated in 1678 and was created by the combination of two words whose definitions are "guilt" and "ready." The distinction between the history of usage of the word get in the north and south of Great Britain is addressed. The author suggests the possibility that the word job is a neologism from the 16th century due to its lack of antecedents in Old English or Middle English.
- Subjects
ENGLISH etymology; OXFORD English Dictionary; DICTIONARY of the English Language (Book); HISTORY of the English language; NEW English words; OLD English language; MIDDLE English etymology; OLD English etymology; TERMS &; phrases; ETYMOLOGY
- Publication
Notes & Queries, 2011, Vol 58, Issue 1, p31
- ISSN
0029-3970
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/notesj/gjq248