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Post subject: Random thought...
 Posted: Sep 11, 2007 - 11:54 PM
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Joined: Apr 14, 2004
Posts: 8400
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| Chatting with friends, wondered about the origin of to do something "gingerly". Thought Star trek would have had whole different feel if it had been "To gingerly go..."! |
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Post subject:
Posted: Sep 12, 2007 - 04:05 PM
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Joined: Feb 04, 2003
Posts: 3281
Location: 45°28' N 73°45' W
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"Gingerly" first appeared in English in the early 1500s, probably adopted from the Old French word "gensor," a form of the adjective "gent" meaning "noble, high-born" with added senses of "pretty and delicate." The "gent/gensor" root, if traced back further, leads to the Latin "genitum," well-born, a form of "gignere," to beget, in turn related to "gens," race or people. This Latin word-family also gave us "gender," "generate," "generous," "genteel," and a slew of other modern English words. The original sense of "gingerly" in English was "elegantly, daintily," as if born into nobility, and was especially applied to walking or dancing with dainty little steps. It wasn't until the 17th century that the modern "gently and very cautiously" sense of "gingerly" became widespread."
http://www.word-detective.com/061405.html |
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Post subject:
Posted: Sep 12, 2007 - 05:22 PM
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Joined: Apr 14, 2004
Posts: 8400
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| Well, I need wonder no more! Thanks Debb! |
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Debb |
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Post subject:
Posted: Sep 12, 2007 - 09:00 PM
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Joined: Feb 04, 2003
Posts: 3281
Location: 45°28' N 73°45' W
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ahh.. the power of Google... however, anything googled is worth the paper it's written on. No guarantee that the information is accurate.
| greenchick wrote: | | Well, I need wonder no more! Thanks Debb! |
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Cuzsis |
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Post subject:
Posted: Sep 12, 2007 - 11:50 PM
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Joined: Oct 24, 2002
Posts: 4212
Location: Outer Space ;)
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Because the more you know.... 
You rock Debb! It's really something the way a word can change over time! |
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