Striking a fell blow to a great word
Today, we will be discussing the word fell, meaning fierce and destructive. The word comes from the Old French word fel, meaning evil. Presumably the word felon has similar roots.
Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is the first recorded use of the phrase one fell swoop. But outside of this cliche, the usage of fell has disappeared. And that's too bad since it's a great word. Or at least it was.
7 comments:
since you sort of invited it:
LINGUISTICS: noun. the science of language, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics.
It seems to me that you are concentrating exclusively on semantics and their historical context, and therefore your discussions of language are probably better described as "etymology lessons."
ETYMOLOGY: noun. the origin and development of a word, affix, phrase, etc.; the tracing of a word or other form back as far as possible in its own language and to its source in contemporary or earlier languages.
Linguistics includes the study of pragmatics and morphology. (And morphology includes the study of language derivation.)
But you're right that usually I'm most interested in historical context, which has more to do with etymology.
If I was a better linguist, I would understand this distinction better.
Welcome linguistics fetishists!
If this is anyone other than Steve Allen: you're stealing my bit!
everyone is technically correct ---etymology describes the study of word historical origins or modifications.
linguistics comprises the study of language in the broadest sense so it
therefore embraces or contains therein the study of word origins.
it's often the short words like fell which hang on historically in expressions which over time have retained their overall meaning but have words within (like fell) which have lost touch with contemporary interpretation.
another example is :fain as in i would fain lie down.
Hello,
My name is Simon Fjell. I am a professional speaker, seed collector (Amazon, Mekong, Congo), land rights activist . . . My Anglo name is Fell (my people come from the Yorkshire Fells - meaning high land) we are desendents of raiders of Viking villages (Fjell is mountain top in Norway) who ceased a Viking boat and went to England long ago. The Fjell hordes raped and pillaged the Vikings. The Fjell blow is the use of the sword used by the left hand (fell handed) to put off opponents . . . the blow was the mountain dwellers stonemasons hammer on the end of a leather thong which was spun around to get greater momentum. The blow was a total endgame against opponents . . . no survivors.
I am a pacifist trained in the Fjell (Fell) arts who has only once been forced to deal out the blow (unarmed) . . . and had guns at my head 3 times and won.
We have our own dog (the Fell Terrier), our own pony (the Fell pony - Prince Phillip uses them in his carriage racing competitions) , the Fjall cow(common alternate e for a in English) and Fjell/ Fjall sweaters the patterns on which depict folkloric stories and clan groupings.
We terrorised the French too . . . hence your reference.
We are not a dead people. You will hear our roar once again in defence of the poor, the dispossed and the earth.
My wife is Siberian from a long line of magic women. She understands me.
I am determined. The voiceless will win.
Remember it!!!
Simon Fjell
PS The rantings of a mad man . . . you bet. I am very mad at the stupidity of the world.
Check out http://www.ask.com/reference/dictionary/ahdict/3765/fell for a full list of the meanings of Fell.
Simon Fjell
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