O
Oneway
New member
thanks this is helpful
rayc
retroreprobate
I've not been able to reconcile the etymology of diaper:
mid-14c., "fabric with a repeated pattern of figures," from Old French diaspre "ornamental cloth; flowered, patterned silk cloth," perhaps via Medieval Latin diasprum from Medieval Greek diaspros "thoroughly white," or perhaps "white interspersed with other colors," from dia- (see dia-) + aspros "white."
Modern sense of "underpants for babies" is continuous since 1837,
Probably comes from a nappy being white before it isn't anymore.
Mind you nappy doesn't appear to have any decent etymology other than fuzzy, fluffy which a nappy isn't really.
Then there's the totally stunning pacifier. Dummy suggest making mute (stick it in the mouth to quieten the kid) 1590s, "mute person," from dumb (adj.) + -y (3).Pacifier with the meaning "nipple-shaped device for babies" is first recorded 1904. Again shove it in the mouth for quiet.
Pacifier's a band in Australia - they used to be Jihad but were informed that promotion in the US wasn't going to happen with that moniker.
Is pacifier just another example of euphemism? I love the new euphemisms that are taking over lately. Once upon a time a lion would pray on a wilderbeast - these days they predate (1st recorded use in this form 1974) (which i assume is because someone was unhappy tying prey with pray) and - even worse, once no longer goes out & has fun/relax, take some recreation - no now one recreates !
Besides the fact the redate suggests a period of time wooing before finally going out together (OH how I hate DATE - it's only been in general use in Oz since the 80's) and recreating suggesting making something anew, the mangling of a noun into a verb isn't new but to do it so badly - I'm stunned! I think I need to do some Godbothering before I take the next 6 days remaking the world before taking the 7th to RECREATE!
mid-14c., "fabric with a repeated pattern of figures," from Old French diaspre "ornamental cloth; flowered, patterned silk cloth," perhaps via Medieval Latin diasprum from Medieval Greek diaspros "thoroughly white," or perhaps "white interspersed with other colors," from dia- (see dia-) + aspros "white."
Modern sense of "underpants for babies" is continuous since 1837,
Probably comes from a nappy being white before it isn't anymore.
Mind you nappy doesn't appear to have any decent etymology other than fuzzy, fluffy which a nappy isn't really.
Then there's the totally stunning pacifier. Dummy suggest making mute (stick it in the mouth to quieten the kid) 1590s, "mute person," from dumb (adj.) + -y (3).Pacifier with the meaning "nipple-shaped device for babies" is first recorded 1904. Again shove it in the mouth for quiet.
Pacifier's a band in Australia - they used to be Jihad but were informed that promotion in the US wasn't going to happen with that moniker.
Is pacifier just another example of euphemism? I love the new euphemisms that are taking over lately. Once upon a time a lion would pray on a wilderbeast - these days they predate (1st recorded use in this form 1974) (which i assume is because someone was unhappy tying prey with pray) and - even worse, once no longer goes out & has fun/relax, take some recreation - no now one recreates !
Besides the fact the redate suggests a period of time wooing before finally going out together (OH how I hate DATE - it's only been in general use in Oz since the 80's) and recreating suggesting making something anew, the mangling of a noun into a verb isn't new but to do it so badly - I'm stunned! I think I need to do some Godbothering before I take the next 6 days remaking the world before taking the 7th to RECREATE!
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