Apologies it should have been Etymology, but then one could claim that Entymology is right if I am going to nit pick.
The most recent example is as follows:
"Chafing-dish"
Well educated re-enactor had understood chafing to be derived from same early root as turf meaning peat turfs to burn. They were somewhat concerned when I correct them to say the least and I have provided them with the relevant source.
I am not attaching blame but showing how important it is too check your sources, and if I am wrong in anyway and you can show me how please please do so!
The mistake in question showed a misunderstanding of the sound change rules and a mixing up of words including one not at all related (drawn I regret to say from a lyric from a song sung by Medieval Baebes, not sure which one). What follows here is based on my Concise Oxford English Dictionary [COD], plus what I remember of my Historical Linguistics, my knowledge of modern and medieval french (fluent to almost native in one, can read Rabelais without not too much reference to footnotes in other).
COD entries - For these purpose I assume you know the meaning so the importat bit the one in the square brackets at the end. I have expanded their abbreviations for those not familiar with them.
TRUE ROOT
chafing-dishn. ... [from obsolete sense of CHAFE = warm + -ING + DISH]
chafev. + n. ... [Middle English from Old French
chaufer from inferred Romance
calefare from Latin
calfacere (
calere be hot,
facere made)]
FALSE ROOT
turf n. (pl. ~s, or turves pr. -vz) ... [Old English, =Old Saxon
turf, Old Norse
torf(a), Old High German
zurf, zurba from inferred Germanic
turbh- from inferred Indo-European
drbh-]
ROOT CAUSING CONFUSION
torrefyv.t. ... [from French
torrefier from Latin
torrefacere (
torrere scorch; see -FY]
Best transcription I can give of the confusion causing word in lyrics is torrefen (never seen it written down).
People are aware that both initial and intermediate consonents have changed. Good examples are Vater (German) Vader (Dutch) and Father (English) or Loefel (German) Lepel (Dutch) and Ladle (English). However there are rules that seem to govern these changes which have to do with where the sound is made in the mouth.
The derivation involved a confusion of meaning and sound change if that makes sense.
As and when I can remember anymore specific examples or come across any new ones I will post them for those interested.
Sophia
