In Puerto Rico, slave holders used to mockingly address their african slaves as "trigueños" (rye colored hair: blondes). After centuries of being so addressed, the term now actually refers to a dark-skinned individual. If you tell a local that
trigueno actually means
blonde, they won't believe you. The fact that rye doesn't grow in Puerto Rico may have something to with that.
Another interesting tidbit, there's a spanish dish made with steamed beef which is called "beef
cecina". Since colonial times, this has locally evolved into the similar sounding "beef
asesina" (assasin beef!). which somehow doesn't stimulate my apettite.
More phylological mysteries:
If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren't people frommHolland called Holes?
Why do we say something is out of whack? What's a whack?
Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist but a person who drives a race car not called a racist?
Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?
Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?
Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety one?
"I am" is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that "I do" is the longest sentence?
If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?
So if the Jacksonville Jaguars are known as the "Jags" and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are known as the "Bucs", what does that make the Tennessee Titans?
If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea...does that mean that one actually enjoys it?
Words to ponder!
: )
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
Extremely well put David. The interpretation of symbols definitely is interpreted differently as it is transferred crossculturally and even over time by subsequent generations. In language, even the words in our language have either fallen out of common use, or sometimes acquired entirely different meanings. Good examples of this are found in a book I have someplace in the 'archives' called "Johnsons Dictionary". This is a compendium of words in these categories with the meanings in period of use.
As always, I admire your way of thinking!
All the best,
Jim
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