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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,067
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,067 |
In order to answer the plausibility question, more information is needed. For example, how prevalent are these phonemes in other languages? Basing such a universal theory on one language only (English) is a bit shaky.
The Jack-thing I think is typically English. We do have a Hannes (from Johannes), " Stomme Hannes"; it means a simpleton ; it also gave the word 'gehannes'(noun) meaning "clumsy dealings". For the English Jack I remember that Jack and Jill went up the hill, but I don't know if they ever came down again. Yes, Jack fell down (and broke his crown), and Jill came tumbling after... Crown here means head and not the thing a monarch might wear.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295 |
Ouch! A double crown fracture!
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 7
stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 7 |
Thank you to everyone who answered my question. I humbly realize my theory is that of a naive midwestern cowtown misspent youth. I enjoyed the education about names and anatomy. Apparently my simple question about why the word "jack" appears so frequently in our language doesn't have an answer. And other languages do have the same types of occurrences of other words. listing all of the words that contain "Jack" was fun and we went on to list all the words we use for toilet and bathroom. I just saw a new show coming to CBS where all the characters are listing the alternative words to "scoundrel". Also I found Anu Garg's new book has a fun word game: spelling your name as well as names of other things backwards (stressed vs. desserts).
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 876 |
Also I found Anu Garg's new book has a fun word game: spelling your name as well as names of other things backwards (stressed vs. desserts). You will enjoy this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SemordnilapApparently those are called "semordnilap", which is "palindromes" backwards. I've never seen that term before, so I learned something for the day! Thanks! :0)
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