How did the word clue originate? Four common words with intricate back stories
Estimates suggest that we speak 7000 words on an average per day. Some of these words are part of our daily vocabulary. But we hardly think of their origins. Etymology is the discipline that takes us on a fascinating journey into the roots of words. Belies us or not, most of these origin stories are fun, intriguing and weird. We have dug out the interesting stories of four such words for you.
‘Clue’ and the myth of Ariadne's thread
The history of the word clue is intricate indeed. The original spelling of the word was clew, which meant ball of thread or yarn. The modern-day meaning of clue, a guide to the solution of a mystery, has its root in a Greek mythology involving Athenian hero Theseus Cretan princess Ariadne and Minotaur, a monster who’s half bull and half man. He used to live on human flesh and dwelt in a labyrinth. It was impossible to find one’s way out of the labyrinth. When Theseus planned to kill Minotaur, Ariadne gave him a ball of thread so that he can navigate his way out of the labyrinth. Thus, the word clue acquired its metaphorical meaning. According to etymologists, the spelling 'clue' was first witnessed in the 1400s. It became common in the 1600s, and is now the most-used form of the word.
‘Nice’ originally meant foolish
In the late 13th century, ‘nice’ originated from the Latin word ‘necius’ or the Old French term ‘nice’. It meant ignorant, unaware, foolish or silly. It described someone who was ridiculously overdressed but gradually evolved from derogatory to positive once it was incorporated in English. By the 19th century, ‘nice’ was used while referring to someone dressed in a decent or elegant manner. Talk about serious evolution!
The creepy origin of ‘nightmare’ from a goblin
Have you ever wondered why scary dreams are called ‘nightmares’? Well, the word ‘nightmare’ evolved from the Middle English (1150 AD to 1500 AD) word ‘mare’, which meant a ‘female evil spirit thought to lie upon and suffocate sleepers’. The word ‘mare’, again, has its roots in an Old English (the earliest form of the English language, that reached Britain through the Anglo-Saxons around the 5th century) word ‘mære’. Various cultures have their own versions of the English ‘mare’, referring to it as evil spirits, demons or goblin-like creatures which ride de on the chest of humans in slumber and triggering bad dreams. In the Scandinavian culture (people belonging to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), the reference of mare can be found in Ynglinga Sagac from the 13th century. In this saga, Swedish king Vanlandi was killed by a mare.
‘Tattoos’ were called paintings
‘Tattoo’ probably originated from the Tahitian term ‘tatau’, which simply means ‘a mark made on the skin’. The word in its current form evolved from the Samoan phrase ‘tattow’, which meant ‘to strike’.
It was first used in English by James Cook (British explorer and captain in the British Royal Navy) in his journal (1786) titled Endeavour. He documented the practice of tattooing among the tribes he came across while voyaging through Polynesia. Before we acquired the loanword from Polynesia, the practice of tattooing was a tradition in England too but was called ‘painting’.