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#83551 - 10/14/02 04:03 PM angle
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
It occurred to me to wonder how "angle" came to mean to fish. It seems to have been
based on word for "hook".
angle (v.) - "to fish," 1496, from O.E. angel (n.), related to
anga "hook," from I.E. *ank- "to bend." Figurative sense is
recorded from 1589.
angle (n.) - "intersecting lines," c.1380, from L. angulus
"corner," cognate with from Gk. ankylos "bent, crooked" (see
ankle).


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#83552 - 10/14/02 05:41 PM Re: angle
Wordwind Offline
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Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 6296
Loc: Piedmont Region of Virginia, U...
I suppose the bent or angled fish leading to the angler sounded better than calling the angler a hooker, huh?


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#83553 - 10/15/02 06:36 AM Re: angle
Faldage Offline
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Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 13653
AHD confirms and notes that both are from PIE ank-. Interesting that one is through Greek, Latin and Old French, not coming into English until Middle English and the other has been with us since before the beginning.


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#83554 - 10/15/02 09:07 AM Re: angle
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
Dear Faldage: The modern fish-hook is a marvel of metal working, that cannot be very old
I wonder what primitive fish-hooks were like.


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#83555 - 10/15/02 10:40 AM Re: angle
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
Hey, Faldage, look at what I found when I finally used right search words:
http://www.mustad.no/history/hook_history.html

These hooks could have been taken by the very big fish that would have been
plentiful in ancient times.


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