Don’t be a nincompoop!

British English is full of fun and fanciful terms. The phrase, “Don’t be a nincompoop!” is just one prime example.

British termImage courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“Nincompoop,” meaning fool or idiot, was traced back to its first usage in the 1670s by Jonson in his Dictionary of 1755. He believed the word to have come from the Latin legal term, “non compos mentis”, which translates to insane or mentally incompetent or not of sound mind. However, there are a number of etymologists who decidedly disagree with this explanation.

For example, some experts believe that “nincompoop” has actually developed from a proper name. Nicodemus, a derivation of Nicholas, has been cited as a possible example, as it was used in the French language to denote a fool.

Another band of etymologists, however, believe that “nincompoop” might simply be an invented word. The Oxford English Dictionary also believes that the origins of the word can be dated back to the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, and that there were a variety of versions of the word in use, including nicompoop and nickumpoop.

Folk etymology, like the kind John Ciardi from A Browser’s Dictionary uses to dismissively relate “nincompoop” to the Dutch phrase nicht om poep, which means “the female relative of a fool,” might hold some weight. “To poop” is an English verb used today to describe the action of going to the toilet, but in the past it was a verb which meant “to cheat” or “to fool.” This verb probably came from the Dutch verb, “poep”, which means “to shit” or “to fart,” which highlights interesting connections between the many meanings of these verbs.

According to Francis Grose’s slang dictionary of 1785, “nincompoop” has experienced a number of spelling variations. There have been recordings of nickumpoop, nincumpoop, nink-a-poop, ninkompoop, ninkumpupe, ninny-cum-poop. In Grose’s notes, “nincompoop,” regardless of how it is spelt, is the word used to describe someone, “who never saw his wife’s ****,” (the asterisks are printed, exactly as printed here, in Grose’s dictionary). An alternative etymology is offered by a later slang collector, John Camden Hotten, who in 1860 suggested the ‘corruption of ‘non compos mentis’ (not of sound mind).

Despite the uncertainty about the origins of the term, its use has always been pretty clear. “Nincompoop” is either used to refer to a fool or a simpleton. The “nincompoop” is a human being, lacking in intelligence and who flaunts his or her stupidity without shame in front of others. Favourable synonyms of the terms include, jackass, idiot, dunce, imbecile, or moron. Any term used to describe an ignorant simpleton can be replaced with the British phrase, “nincompoop”.

However, there are also a few instances in which “nincompoop” has been used to refer to something other than ignorant stupidity. “Nincompoop” has also been used to mean a suitor who lacks self-confidence and it was used by Thomas Shadwell in his 1672 play entitled, “Epsom Wells,” to refer to a hen-pecked husband.

It’s worth mentioning that “nincompoop” is still regularly used by the British in the 21st century in general conversation. It is used as a soft, teasing term amongst friends and loved ones, for the most part, rather than as a cutting term meant to cause pain to someone else or make them feel uncomfortable. The British love for silly-sounding words is probably one of the most important factors in the longevity of this particular 1670s phrase.

 

You wouldn’t Adam ‘n’ Eve it!

With the passing of yet another year, the world has already begun to look forward toward a fresh start and a new beginning. What better duo than Adam and Eve, the starry couple from the very beginning of time, to send us bouncing into 2014 with a cockney rhyming slang phrase on the tips of our tongues?

“Adam and Eve” is the cockney rhyming phrase meaning “to believe” and used by many as a substitute for the verb in the East End of London. It’s not uncommon for a Londoner to enter a room and spark up a story of outrage beginning with, “You wouldn’t Adam ‘n’ Eve it!” but it’s also highly probable that most Londoners who use the phrase know very little about where it comes from and when it first became part of the Eastender’s standard vocabulary.

A brief history of Cockney Rhyming Slang

In the very early part of the 19th century, the first East London police force was formed by Sir. Robert Peel. Police officers earned the nickname, “Peelers” or “Bobbies,” (Bob being the shortened version of Robert). They were some of the first victims of Cockney Rhyming Slang, which was specifically created by East London’s lower classes so that they could communicate with each other without running the risk of the “Bobbies” catching on to what they were saying.

Modern changes

As we move into 2014, you might not Adam ‘n’ Eve it, but Cockney Rhyming Slang continues to go through some big and important changes. For example, it’s less likely that popular, Cockney rhyming phrases would be heard in and around the East End London. Most Cockney speakers are now found a little bit further out in Essex. During the past five decades, East Londoners have been slowly moving out of London and Cockney Rhyming Slang has been duly migrating out with them.

In the 19th century, Cockney Rhyming Slang was a dialect used by East Londoners, born in and around the Bow Road area. However, it is now more accurate to say that most white, working-class people from the south east region of England are the common speakers of Cockney Rhyming phrases.

Grappling to hold onto traditions

Fearing that Cockney Rhyming Slang will one day die out completely, a number of East London schools have been part of a project to teach the phrases to young children. “Apples and pears” (meaning stairs) and “Have a Butcher’s hook,” (meaning look) form part of an East London campaign designed to get Cockney recognised as an official dialect.

This educational program not only hopes to encourage the younger generation to begin reutilising as many Cockney Rhyming Slang phrases as possible, but it also aims to revive East London (Cockney) foods and traditional dishes, as well as East London (Cockney) customs.

Over 100 dialects are spoken by children in East London schools. Cockney, if we consider it to be a dialect, is one of the largest. This explains the recent push towards making Cockney Rhyming Slang part of the East London primary schools’ language program. If you don’t Adam ‘n’ Eve it, feel free to get the full story in London’s Daily Mail Online.

Where does the word Christmas come from?

“Christmas” is an Old English word, constructed from the combination of two words, namely “Christ” and “Mass”. The first recorded Old English version of the phrase, “Crīstesmæsse,” dates back to 1038, but by the Middle Ages the term had already morphed into “Cristemasse;” a slightly more modern version of the phrase.

Xmas

The origins

The two separate parts of the word can be traced back to Greek, Hebrew and Latin origins. “Christ” comes from the Greek word “Khrīstos” (Χριστός) or “Crīst,” and there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that the Hebrew word “Māšîaḥ” (מָשִׁיחַ) or “Messiah,” which actually means “anointed,” has also played a considerable role in the construction of the first part of the word “Christmas.” The second part most probably comes from the Latin word, “Missa,” which refers directly to the celebration of the Eucharist.

It is also believed that “Christenmas” is an archaic version of the word “Christmas,” whose origins can be attributed to the Middle English phrase, “Cristenmasse,” which when literally translated becomes, “Christian Mass.”

Christmas… the international holiday

Even though “Christian Mass” or “Christ’s Mass” refers to the annual Christian commemoration of the birth Jesus Christ, “Christmas” is an international holiday which, throughout the ages, has been celebrated by non-Christian communities and been referred to via a variety of different names, including the following:

  • Nātiuiteð (nātīvitās in Latin) or “Nativity” means “birth” and has often been used as an alternative to the word “Christmas”
  • The Old English word, Gēola, or “Yule” corresponds to the period of time between December and January and eventually became associated with the Christian festival of “Christmas”
  • “Noel” is an English word which became popular during late 14th century and which is derived from the Old French term “Noël” or “Naël,”  literally translating to “the day of birth”

“Xmas”… modern or ancient?

It’s also worth noting that, even though most people tend to view the abbreviation “Xmas” as a modern bastardisation of the word “Christmas,” “Xmas” is an ancient term and not a grammatically-incorrect modern construction. “X” was regularly used to represent the Greek symbol “chi,” (the first letter of the word “Christ”) and was very popular during Roman Times.

Origin of “It Takes Two to Tango”

The tango is a popular dance in which two partners move in relation to each other. Tango is always danced in couples, and both parts are essential.  “It takes two to tango” is a common idiomatic expression inspired in this intrinsic partnership and is used to describe a situation in which more than one person is paired in an active and complex related manner, with positive and negative connotations.

The phrase “It takes two to tango” first appeared in the song Takes Two To Tango that Al Hoffman and Dick Manning composed in 1952. However, the expression reached top popularity thirty years later, when US President Ronald Reagan used it during a news conference. Since then, “it takes two to tango” expression has made it to the headlines several times.

Cooperation

This common expression can be used to suggest that the active cooperation of two parties is required in some enterprise in order to succeed or accomplish the objectives.

In the same way, it can also be used to refer to the fact that agreements or consensual bargains require both parties to assent in order to be successful.

Quarreling Also Takes Two

Disputes and discussions also need the participation of two parties. Thus, in situations in which both partners don’t agree upon something, we can also say “it takes two to tango”.

 

New Campagin for English Speakers: Learn 1,000 words of another language

English is widely recognized as, if not the most important language, at least one of the most important languages in the world. As such, there is a great interest in learning it. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are always in demand and non-native speakers are usually eager to find ways to improve their English. Unfortunately, native English-speakers do not often have the same enthusiasm for learning other languages. Perhaps the popularity and importance that the English language enjoys makes English-speakers feel that they don’t need to speak any other language. It isn’t surprising that the British, as well as other English-speakers, have earned a reputation of being lazy with respect to linguistic ability.

1000words

As a result, in Great Britain, a campaign has recently developed with the intention of opening Brits’ minds and ears to different languages. The “Speak to the Future” campaign encourages everyone to learn at least 1,000 words of another language. The 1,000 word figure was set because that is enough words to have a simple conversation yet it is a realistic and attainable goal for anyone.

The effort is an attempt to improve, not only the language abilities of Great Britain’s people, but also their cultural awareness and adaptability. Learning a language opens one’s eyes to the culture of the people who speak it. The British have suffered the reputation of being “lazy” when it comes to learning and speaking different languages. And not speaking different languages has probably limited their abilities to relate to different cultures. The campaign aims to prove that the people of Great Britain are ready to engage with the rest of the world and with the world’s many languages and cultures.

Great Britain isn’t the only place that is infamously known for its limited linguistic scope. The United States suffers a similar reputation because many Americans cringe at the sound of languages that are not English. There is evidence that this attitude may be changing, thanks to globalization. More and more, people in first world, English-speaking countries are realizing that the world is much greater than the limits of their national boundaries. As a result, they are seeing the importance of being able to communicate in different languages.

The movement is not without some resistance. Not everyone wants to learn a new language. As we referred to in a previous post, learning a language requires you to go out of your comfort zone. Doing so is necessary for growth and development, but many would prefer to not deviate from what is comfortable.

The popularity of the English language, throughout the word, has given native English-speakers a great excuse not to leave their linguistic comfort zone. The bad news is that it has limited them and prevented them from learning things that could enrich their lives. Efforts, such as this recent campaign in the UK, attempt to expand the horizons of native English-speakers who are otherwise comfortably sheltered from languages that could open wonderful new doors for them.

The Miami English: A New English Dialect Is Born

It has always been said that languages are living creatures. Apparently it is an undeniable truth since a new English dialect is born: the Miami English. Young men and women that were born or have grown up there, whether from Latin origin or not, speak it at schools, universities and, of course, on the white sanded beaches of Miami.

According to language experts, this phenomenon is not new at all, especially in the United States. As it has already occurred in cities such as New York, Boston or Texas, the English spoken in Miami is suffering a series of changes motivated by the demographic changes in the area. In other words, the influence of the Caribbean and Latin American culture cannot be denied.

Even though this is not a new phenomenon, experts agree on the fact that this Miami English is something more than just speaking English using a particular accent. Philip Carter, an American Linguistics professor that’s been living in Miami for two years explains the characteristics of the Miami English.

Speakers of Miami English:

  • Usually refer to friends with the word “Bro”
  • Use plenty of times words as: “like”, “a lot”, “totally”, “oye”, “dale”, “super”
  • Use invented words such as “irregardless” or “supposebly”
  • Speak it mostly using nasal sounds, especially the girls.
  • Borrow some grammatical structures from the Spanish language.
  • Speak really fast
  • Stick to the five Spanish vowel sounds.
  • Do literal translations from the Spanish language into the English one.

Despite some prejudice that has arisen against the Miami English, the influence of this new dialect can be appreciated beyond the community of young men and women. In fact, it has become a regional dialect that is associated to the south of Florida.

Read more here (article in Spanish)

Origin of the Word “Futon”

Futons have become an ordinary furniture piece and it is very likely that you are reading this article comfortably seated on one. But, have you ever wondered about the etymological origin of the word?

Western futon

Japanese Origin

English (as well as Spanish) borrowed the word from the Japanese and the Chinese, and it means “round cushions filled with cattail flower spikes”.

A Traditional Japanese Bedding

Futons can be easily found in Japanese homes. They are padded mattresses and quilts that can be plied and stored away during the day so that the room can be used not only as a bedroom. In fact, what we call futons in Japan are combinations of a bottom mattress and a thick quilted bedcover.

Futon Japan

Japanese Futon

What is the Oxford Comma?

The Oxford comma has been in the center of the debate amongst language experts for quite a long time. Is it useful? Is it necessary? Should we use it? Haven’t we got enough punctuation rules already? Can’t we just do without it? And to make things even a little bit more interesting, not everybody knows what the Oxford comma is and how it should be used.

Understanding the Oxford Comma

The Oxford comma is the comma that precedes the conjunction “and” or “or” before the final item in a list of three or more items. For instance:

“This poem is dedicated to Beth, Anna, and Rosemary.”

“This recipe takes: sugar, eggs, and flour.”

It is so called because it has traditionally been used by editors and printers at Oxford University Press although this convention is also followed by Harvard University Press. All throughout the United States, this mark is better known as the serial comma.

The Oxford comma helps to clarify the meaning intended of a sentence when it is placed before conjunctions in a series of words, especially when you are dealing with complicated lists. For instance, the use of the Oxford comma is advisable in this case:

“I would like to thank my parents, Barack Obama, and Oprah Winfrey.” If you omit the comma before the “and” people may think that Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey are your parents!

Besides, it matches the natural speech pattern of pausing before the last item in a series and, therefore, makes a list easier to comprehend.

When Should It Be Used?

Most editors and publishers agree on the fact that the most important thing to remember regarding the usage of this quotation mark is that you should be consistent. In other words: if you start using it, always do. Consistency is the key.

 

Queen Elizabeth I, the Translator

Rulers at present may be seen as practical, passionate, determined or powerful but few would think of them as intellectuals. Thus, it may be quite surprising to learn that Queen Elizabeth I, one of the most powerful English rulers during the Renaissance, was not only disciplined and independent but also an inward intellectual who devoted her teenage years to the translation of various religious texts that definitely shaped her “man’s mind”.

Elizabeth I was a successful Queen in times where women were not considered suitable for holding certain positions in society. And according to Janel Mueller, professor of English language and literature at the University of Chicago, William Rainey Harper Professor in the College, and dean of the Division of the Humanities., much of her success can be related to the translations she did while still being a princess influenced by her stepmother Katherine Parr. Mueller even takes this a little bit further and says that her translations were key to her power.

In 1545, when she was still a teenager, she translated the first chapter of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion. Then she took a religious work that Katherine Parr had done in English and translated it into Latin, French and Italian and gave it as a New Year’s gift to her dad.

Mueller points out that during the early period of Elizabeth’s reign she translated some devotional literature, but shifted later to classical texts from Seneca’s tragedies as she had more experience as Queen of England.

Mueller, as well as other scholars looking into Elizabeth I’s translations, are interested in determining that these works are not only a proof of her refined schooling but also a way she found of making these texts available. Despite the fact that Elizabeth did quite literal translations and avoided using English references, it is undeniable that she was part of a culture highly interested in translation as a means of making something foreign available to the natives.

English-Only: Past, Present and Future of a Controversial Movement

The Whole Food’s incident, in which two employees accused the company of encouraging an English-only policy in the working environment and suspending them for speaking Spanish during the working hours, seems to have opened Pandora’s box in relation to a long-standing and unresolved issue that reaches deep into the American society: the use of English language as a means to exercise some kind of control over Latin American immigration.

The Early Origins of the English-Only Movement

Even though it may seem that the advocates of the English-Only Movement can only be found in recent years, especially as President Barack Obama is pushing an immigration reform, the truth is that its origins can be traced back to the 1800’s. In fact, during 1878 and 1879 the constitution of California was rewritten so that the Spanish language rights were no longer recognized and the English-only schooling was recommended to Native Americans. According to the official text “All laws of the State of California and all official writings, and the executive, legislative and judicial proceedings shall be conducted, preserved and published in no other than the English language”. Years later, English-only instruction laws were also passed in Wisconsin, Illinois and Hawaii.

The need of relying on the English language to provide some kind of unity and common bond to the American nation, which was being born at the time, is probably the main reason behind passing these laws.

Does the USA Need English as an Official Language?

Almost since its inception, the United States of America has been a pluralistic nation. Stating that it is a land of opportunities, it embraces warmly any immigrant that wants to fulfill the American Dream and help the country grow and prosper.

This multiculturalism has lead people from all over the world to come to the USA and, in many occasions, they do not know nor understand English and find it easier to communicate with peers in their mother tongue so that they do not feel pressed by the need of learning English.

As a result, many people doubt whether these immigrants are really integrated into society and question whether establishing English as the official language would be helpful in order to press them to learn English and therefore become fully functional American citizens.

There are different groups such as ProEnglish and U.S. English –just to mention the most important ones- that believe that in a pluralistic nation, it is important to foster and support the similarities and encourages public opinion and law makers to adopt English as the official language at all levels of the government as they consider English as the most empowering tool that immigrants have to succeed.

So far, the United States Federal Government does not specify an official language. However, all official documents in the U.S. are written in English, though some are also published in other languages. Looking at this issue state by state, a vast majority of them (33 out of 50) have passed laws that establish English as the official language in the state while some of them also accept the use of other language. Amongst these states we can mention: Hawaii, Wyoming, Idaho, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas and Kentucky.

Whether the United States need an official language or not, is a question that has caused quite an interesting controversy. While the ones that are pro this idea consider the English-only movement a good way of unifying a multicultural and multinational nation, there are many others that are convinced it is discriminatory and that it certainly contradicts the First Amendment and the right to freedom of speech.

These groups suggest that the union of people of the United States  will be the result not of a single language being spoken but of exercising tolerance and pushing political measures that benefit all people equally no matter what their ethnic origin is. They deny that English is under threat and they claim that, many a time, these English-Only movements show hatred against non-English speaking immigrants.