|
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
stranger
|
OP
stranger
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2 |
Here's a curiosity that has me overwrought (not wreally):
Is there some kind of relationship in the number of words in English that begin with wr- and seem to have some idea of twisting? For instance ...
wrest, wrestle, wrap, wreath, wraith?, wrinkle, wretch, wretched, wreck, wrist?, wrath, writhe, wriggle, wring, wreak?, wrangle
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624 |
I think that you have found a faux relationship between words beginning with "wr" and a meaning of "twist". Almost all of the English words which begin with "wr" are direct descendants of Old English word roots and therefore have a long history in our current language. "Wr" was a common formation in Old English.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788 |
Welcome, lslslsl, to the fold. I have no idea, but Faldage will know. Faldage knows (almost) everything.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624 |
Faldage knows (almost) everythingIn a biblical sense anyway, Padre! 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
In a biblical sense Aw, c'mon, Pfranz. I don't know any more about the Bible than you do. As for those words, many of them derive from the same PIE root, even some for which I thought the connection with twisting was a bit tenuous: http://www.bartleby.com/61/roots/IE571.html
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624 |
Hey, I tried looking it up in Bartleby and didn't find anything. What's your secret?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
I looked up one of the wr- words and clicked on the clickable link to the PIE Root Appendix.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 619
addict
|
|
addict
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 619 |
I think that you have found a faux relationship between words beginning with "wr" and a meaning of "twist".IsIsIs will explain for herself, but I don't think IsIsIs was postulating a connection between "wr" words and the word "twist" itself, only a connection between "wr" words and the idea of 'twisting'. She could have said "entwine", "twirl" or even "wrench", instead. Personally, I think IsIsIs has got something there. "wr" words have a certain "wring" to them. No wonder we try to wring as much value out of the sound as we can.  Good insight, IsIsIs. If this is a sample of what is to come, Grapho, for one, is looking forward to more IsIsIs. I just hope we can figure out a way to abbreviate your moniker. May I call you Izz for short? Or how about "Wrizz"?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475 |
What's faux about the relationship? A goodly number of IsIsIs' words are assumed to be related to one another. That's what the roots in the PIE roots appendix in the A-H dictionary are. (Of course, anybody is free not to believe in them or ignore them, or to come up with an alternate answer to why these words in English, and a whole slew of other languages have systematic correspondences of form and meaning.) But, if s/he means that somehow the sounds /w/ and /r/ have something to do with twisting and turning, then we part company. The other words in the list that are not related to the *wer- root(s) prove that.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 619
addict
|
|
addict
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 619 |
But, if s/he means that somehow the sounds /w/ and /r/ have something to do with twisting and turning, then we part company. The other words in the list that are not related to the *wer- root(s) prove that."The stars impel, they do not compel", jheem. The "wr" sound at the beginning of a word might have impelled the creation of words with a meaning harmonious with the "wr" sound. Words like the words IsIsIs has enumerated so persuasively. Since this was an innate predisposition, not the result of systematic or even conscious selection, many "wr" words would and did arise which had nothing to do with the idea of 'twisting'. That doesn't make IsIsIs' postulation any less tenable. I don't know anything about those "PIE roots" of yours, but common sense trumps rhubarb pie any day.
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,689
Members9,187
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
205
guests, and
14
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
