The Evolution of English in 12 Words

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1.  Awful

In Old English, ‘awe’ denoted “fear, terror, or dread.” Over time, it transformed into a profound or reverential wonder, with ‘awful’ and ‘awesome’ initially being synonymous in their awe-inspiring nature. However, ‘awful’ later adopted an exclusively negative connotation, now signifying something extremely bad.

Conversely, ‘awesome’ evolved in the opposite direction, gaining a positive connotation around the mid-1900s to mean something extremely good.

2.  Bird

Originating from the Anglo-Saxon “bredan,” meaning “to breed,” ‘brid’ or ‘byrd’ initially referred to a young bird, akin to what we now call a chick. Yet, by Chaucer’s era, the term’s semantic horizons were beginning to expand to encompass all feathered creatures.

Late, Shakespeare orchestrated the stabilisation of the spelling to ‘b-i-r-d.’ However, shedding the exclusive association with chicks proved to be a gradual linguistic metamorphosis, persisting until the word fully embraced the broader spectrum of feathered animals we associate with this word today.

3.  Cute

The term “cute” originated as an abbreviation of the word “acute” in the 18th century. “Acute” itself came from Latin “acutus,” meaning sharp or pointed.

In its early days, “cute” retained its original sense of being clever or quick-witted. However, by the 1830s in America, the word underwent a transformation in meaning. It shifted to convey attractiveness, charm, or prettiness. Despite this shift, remnants of its original sense linger, as seen in phrases like “don’t get cute with me,” which implies someone trying to outsmart you in a challenging or sly manner.

4.  Fantastic

Derived from the old French word ‘fantastique’ (from Latin and Greek), ‘fantastic’ initially described things conceived or appearing in imagination. It wasn’t until more recently, possibly in the 1930s, that it adopted another meaning signifying something ‘great’ or ‘wonderful’.

5.  Flirt

While contemporary flirting involves subtle gestures like eye contact or mirroring body language, in the mid-16th century, it had two very different meanings.

In some contexts, it was a sharp, sudden blow or knock bestowed upon someone.  Simultaneously, the noun form of ‘flirt’ could refer to a smart stroke of jest or joke.

This word found itself intertwined with the perception of a woman possessing a giddy, flighty character only in the 18th century. In Samuel Johnson’s 1755 Dictionary of the English Language, ‘flirt’ in this sense was defined as “a pert young hussey,” capturing the essence of a cheeky, playful demeanour.

This notion of cheekiness, embodied in the characterisation of a woman with a giddy disposition, laid the foundation for the transformation of ‘flirt’ from mere sharp movements and jests to playfully amorous behaviour.

6.  Girl

The word “girl” traces its origins to Middle English “gurle” or “girle,” denoting a young person of either sex. Emerging from Old English “gyrela,” meaning a young person, it initially encompassed a broader sense.

Over time, particularly in the late Middle Ages and early Modern English, “girl” evolved to specifically refer to a female child. This narrowing reflects changing societal perceptions of age and gender. Despite ongoing debates about its usage, the word stands as a testament to the dynamic nature of language, shaped by cultural shifts and the passage of time.

7.  Knight

The term “knight” traces its roots to the Old English “cniht,” initially meaning “boy” or “servant.” However, with the Norman conquest in 1066, it evolved to specifically denote a mounted warrior. Unlike other European languages linking “knight” to “horseman” or “rider,” English took a distinctive path.

The Norman conquerors introduced “chevalier,” their term for a knight. However, it coexisted with the native “cniht.” “Cniht” persisted for lower-ranking warriors (boys), while “chevalier” marked the higher-ranking ones. Eventually, thanks to the prevalence of English over French, the word ‘knight’ replaced ‘chevalier’ completely, and its original meaning was lost.

8.  Myriad

The contemporary usage of ‘myriad’ describes an immense, uncountable number. However, its roots delve into Ancient Greece, where its meaning was more specific.

In Greek, ‘myriad’ referred precisely to the number 10,000. This numerical significance was visually represented by a circle adorned with four dashes in Aegean numerals, a system employed during the Bronze Age. How it came to mean what it means now is part of the mystery that surrounds the evolution of English vocabulary.

9.  Nervous

Tracing its roots to the Latin term ‘nervosus,’ which originally meant “sinewy and vigorous,” the contemporary understanding of ‘nervous’ emerged in the 1660s. Initially referring to an individual with a nervous system disorder, the term evolved by the mid-18th century to include restlessness, agitation, or a lack of nerve. Today, it is commonly used to describe someone prone to easy alarm.

10.  Nice

The term ‘nice,’ with its origins in the Latin ‘nescius’ denoting ignorance, initially carried a negative connotation, describing a foolish person. Over the 14th and 15th centuries, its meaning transformed to depict someone elegantly dressed or displaying shyness and reserve. By the 16th century, ‘nice’ had come to symbolise refined, polite society. Eventually, it acquired the positive connotation we now associate with it.

11.  Spinster

In the past, a ‘spinster’ referred to a woman who spun yarn or thread. Scholars propose that during the late Middle Ages, unmarried women were relegated to lower-paid work like spinning wool, as married women had access to higher-paid and higher-status occupations. Coupled with the practice of using occupation for identification in legal documents, ‘spinster’ evolved to denote an unmarried woman.

12.  Villain

The word “villain” originally signified a feudal serf or peasant during medieval times. Its roots can be traced back to the Latin word “villanus”. This word refers to a farmhand or peasant tied to the manor in a feudal system.

However, the landscape of medieval society, dominated by the landed aristocracy residing in villas, wielded considerable influence—both politically and linguistically. Under their purview, the Middle English descendant of “villanus,” styled as “vilain” or “vilein,” took on a new meaning: “a person of uncouth mind and manners.”

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In tracing the captivating journey of the development of English vocabulary, we’ve uncovered the rich history behind familiar words and phrases. The evolution of words like “girl,” “knight,” and “villain” mirrors the societal changes and perceptions that influenced language over centuries.

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