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Originally Posted by HarryT
"uncle" is another one. In Shakespeare's time it was "a nuncle"
I think my all time favourite "word change" has to be the word "butterfly", which was originally "flutterby". Isn't that just a beautifully descriptive word for what a butterfly does?
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It actually makes more sense! I often wondered why the word was "butter"fly! I have always preferred the Spanish word, "Mariposa". It just seems prettier to describe something so lovely!!
I think a lot of words that have changed over time has to do with the laziness we use when speaking. We (I know I am lumping everyone together, it is just to make a general point and not intended to be offensive in any way to those of you who are much more eloquent speakers than I am
) slur words together or shorten them to say what we have to say. Growing up in Chicago I never noticed that we all spoke so quickly. Whenever I visited my relatives in southern Illinois, though, they would repeatedly ask my to slow down when I was talking. It drove me crazy, because I always thought they were talking too slowly and just wanted them to get to the point! I still get the occasional requests to slow down from sales clerks, particularly when I am placing a phone orders.
Kaz