Glimpse of Yesteryear
The study of the English language is fascinating indeed. We so freely borrow from other languages to enrich our own. But, even…
The study of the English language is fascinating indeed. We so freely borrow from other languages to enrich our own. But, even more fascinating is finding the origins of our unique way of saying things.
For example, we might call someone who is very rigid in proper behavior (whether man or woman) straight laced. The term came from the tying of corset laces. Most linguists agree that this saying came from the wearing of corsets in the 1700s. A proper, dignified person (male or female) wore a tightly tied lace.
Then, we have the word chairman. There is some disagreement of the etymology of that word. There is general agreement that the word was first used about 1660 and that the “man” in “chairman” is indeed the male human, and the “chair” simply a chair, i.e. the seat, whether humble or a throne, occupied by a person of power and authority. So, “chairman” simply means the person who sits in the chair designated for the person in charge.
However, there is no agreement on the exact details of its origin. One opinion is that, in the late 1700s, the homes of the commoner consisted of a large room with only one chair. A long wide board folded down from the wall was used for dining. The “head of the household” always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on backless benches. Occasionally, a guest would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair the chair man. While this may be true, there is no real evidence that is exactly how the word chairman originated.
Gossip is another word with some origin questions. Most linguists say the word is from Old English godsibb, from god and sibb, the term for the godparents of one’s child. In the 1500s, the word took on the meaning of a person (usually a woman) who engages in idle talk. The verb “to gossip,” meaning “to be a gossip,” first appeared in Shakespeare.
However, another version of the origin would have it that the word gossip evolved because early politicians wanted feedback from the public to determine what the people considered important. Since there were no modern methods of communication, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs and bars. They were told to go sip some Ale and listen to people’s conversations and political concerns.” Many assistants were dispatched at different times. You go sip here and You go sip there. The two words go sip were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion, and thus, we have the term gossip. Its a cute explanation of the word, but there is little evidence it is true.
For information on the events at the Geauga County Historical Society’s Century Village Museum, call 440-834-1492 or visit www.geaugahistorical.org.
