Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 4 1 2 3 4
#59786 03/06/02 07:21 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
J
jmh Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
J
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
>"ouch!" or "ow"

Unusually, you can count those of us in the UK in with the ouches and ows unless we're replacing the expression with expletives.


#59787 03/06/02 11:54 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 393
N
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
N
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 393
Could be onomatopoeic in origin. Till the seventeenth century it would be pronounced ooch, which has the vowel of the more natural howler-monkey exclamation we make on finding something is too hot.


#59788 03/06/02 03:03 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055
B
old hand
Offline
old hand
B
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055
> Could be onomatopoeic in origin.

That's right, it clearly has some influence otherwise all these expletives would not be as related as they are.
In Germany cliche exclamation of pain is 'Au-aa!', which is even turned into a telly-tubby-like substantive with little children, like so:
'Hast du dir ein Ow-aa gemacht?'

BTW, I've noticed that 'Youch' is also used in English, usually to express something that doesn't physically hurt, e.g.:
'Youch, that phone bill is gonna hurt!'


#59789 03/10/02 12:52 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
OP Offline
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Thanks for the link, Bean!

I looked up "ouch" and only found this explanation for the etymology: [<G autsch] . So, can somebody please elucidate on the German? BY - I suspect that this is the same word you mentioned; can you give us its etymology?

I was also interested to learn of another meaning of "ouch":

a clasp. From nousche, a necklace or a collar, whence ME nouche, whence (a nouche being apprehended as an ouche) the later ME ouche, whence the obsol E ouch, a brooch, a clasp

or - the socket of a precious stone, an ornament... The original sense is "socket of a gem," but it is commonly used for gem or ornament. The true form is nouche, but the initial n is often dropped ... a buckle, clasp, bracelet, ... MHG, nusche, nuske, OHG. nusca, nuscha a buckle, clasp, or brooch for a cloak. Prob. Ult. Of Celtic origin; cf. Irish nase, a tie, chain, ring ...

I clasped my napron shut with a napple-shaped nouche.



#59790 03/10/02 01:40 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
(quick aside to Hev.....)

I'm starting to think that that's the sum total of Glenn McGrath's vocabulary!

PS: WHAT ABOUT OUR BOY GILCHRIST HEY!!! 100 runs / 90 balls.

stales


#59791 03/11/02 12:53 AM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 477
H
hev Offline
addict
Offline
addict
H
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 477
sum total of Glenn McGrath's vocabulary

P'raps he's just a victim of the media, the only time they ever show him is when he's saying that. Really, he's quite articulate ... oh ha ha... I mean, I heard him say "Fanks for me award" at the Allan Border medal last year...

And I noticed you're prepared to share OUR boy Adam now. That's very gracious of me, er ... I mean, you. Singing the "Go Aussie Go" theme in my head...

Hev

#59792 03/11/02 02:34 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
The French Québecois would most likely say A-YOY (the A pronounce like the a in at) rather than aie when hurt. That or OW. BUT I have noticed that persons who are taught French by a person from France will most likely say aie.

I don’t know if this makes sense when I say it but aie is too pointy for the French Québecois method of speaking.

____________________________________________________________
"M'aidez! M'aidez!"

Um, wof. chou, I've never heard that. Maybe it is old French that I am not aware of.

When you are yelling for help you scream "À l'aide, à l'aide." or "au secours, au secours"

M'aidez can't be said alone like that. It has to be followed by vous because of the conjugation. Also, with the M in front, it is more of a question than a cry for help. M'aidez-vous = Are you helping me?



#59793 03/11/02 10:05 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,713
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,713
Likes: 2
...or maybe it's just another Urban Myth? Seem to come up with a lot of 'em. Just gullible, I guess. Ask me about where Premarin got its name, someday.




#59794 03/11/02 10:08 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Premarin the menopause pill???

Now why would you know about that?


#59795 03/11/02 10:17 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
According to our encyclopedia entry on SOS, "mayday" is used as a
distress signal for aviators because it approximates the French term
"m'aider", meaning "come help me!" The term came into use between the
years 1925-30.


Page 2 of 4 1 2 3 4

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,580
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 332 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,713
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5