English

[kaasirpent]

"Bats" (CC BY-ND 2.0) by andy_tyler

Isn't English a wonderful language?

Take the word bat, for example. Why do we use the same word to mean a flying rodent and a big stick you use to hit a round ball?

We don't.

bat (as in Dracula) comes to English ca. 1580 through the Middle English word bakke, which probably comes from the Old Swedish word nattbakka, which meant...well, bat (as in Dracula).

bat (as in Yogi Berra) comes to English before the 12th century (so before the year 1101) from the Old English word batt, which meant...again, bat (as in a solid stick).

So, technically (and it's all about the technicalities, baby!) bat isn't the same word used for two diverse things. It's two words with two completely separate etymologies that just happen to be spelled and pronounced the same way.

Isn't English wonderful?

Comments

[stemware.livejournal.com]

In the summer after dark, you can find both kinds at Camden Yards - baseball bats on the field, and BIG HUGE bats flying overhead eating insects.

[siercia]

Wow, that's neat. It makes perfect logical sense, and I can't believe I've never thought to follow that path when wondering how a word came to have so many different meanings.

wow.

[tbons.livejournal.com]

You really are my geek hero!!! Such a plethora of useless information are you...are you certain you aren't related to Lisa and I? Maybe a distant cousin or something? You and my mother would be wonderful to watch at Trivial Pursuit.

[lyssrose.livejournal.com]

So, I'm looking at the list of people who added me to their friend's list, and I see the name kaasirpent. I check out that LJ, to see if I should add them back.

Congratulations. With this entry, you have me hooked. *grin*

[kaasirpent]

I did one of those 'find users similar to yourself' things based on interests and you showed up at the top of the list, so I read a few of your posts and added you. :) Nice to 'meet' you.