Word for the Wise: Father’s words
On the Friday before Father's Day, we look at matters paternal.
The adjective paternal was born of pater (Latin for "father") in the 15th century. The English Pater itself dates back to the 14th century, when it was borrowed into our language as a shortening of the Latin paternoster (literally, "Our Father"). Pater can still refer to the Lord's Prayer, but when you hear British speakers pronounce the word \pay-ter\, they are using it in the generic sense "father."
If you guessed that the English father is distantly related to the Latin pater, pat yourself on the back. Other linguistic relatives of that ancient word (father is as old as our language itself) include pater and pitri, the Greek and Sanskrit terms for "father."
Do you know how daddy and papa fit into the picture? Both terms are believed to have their origins in baby talk, and both are believed to share those same linguistic forefathers. Dad and daddy first appeared in English print in the 15th century and papa (from the French) dates to the 17th century.
Fathers all around the world may consider themselves to be lucky dads, but the phrase lucky dad has a special meaning in Scotland. There, lucky dad is another name for a grandfather.
Enjoy the weekend and don't forget Dad...and Granddad too. Our e-mail address is wftw@aol.com. Our street address is Word for the Wise, 318 Central Avenue, Albany, New York 12206.
Shawn Dudley is our engineer. Special thanks to Gerrys Noble and Woodworth. Production and research support for Word for the Wise comes from Merriam-Webster, publisher of language reference books and CD's including Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition.
The adjective paternal was born of pater (Latin for "father") in the 15th century. The English Pater itself dates back to the 14th century, when it was borrowed into our language as a shortening of the Latin paternoster (literally, "Our Father"). Pater can still refer to the Lord's Prayer, but when you hear British speakers pronounce the word \pay-ter\, they are using it in the generic sense "father."
If you guessed that the English father is distantly related to the Latin pater, pat yourself on the back. Other linguistic relatives of that ancient word (father is as old as our language itself) include pater and pitri, the Greek and Sanskrit terms for "father."
Do you know how daddy and papa fit into the picture? Both terms are believed to have their origins in baby talk, and both are believed to share those same linguistic forefathers. Dad and daddy first appeared in English print in the 15th century and papa (from the French) dates to the 17th century.
Fathers all around the world may consider themselves to be lucky dads, but the phrase lucky dad has a special meaning in Scotland. There, lucky dad is another name for a grandfather.
Enjoy the weekend and don't forget Dad...and Granddad too. Our e-mail address is wftw@aol.com. Our street address is Word for the Wise, 318 Central Avenue, Albany, New York 12206.
Shawn Dudley is our engineer. Special thanks to Gerrys Noble and Woodworth. Production and research support for Word for the Wise comes from Merriam-Webster, publisher of language reference books and CD's including Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition.
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