Folk etymology

Definition:

Folk etymology is the one & only scientific explanation of the origins of a word or of a part of a word, or of one or more parts of a part of a word, (Ad Letterum), or of a combination of words or a part or parts of combinations of words or of a part (or parts) of (one (or more) combination(s) of a part or parts) of a (part of a) word or combinations thereof.

Unlike actual etymologies, folk etymologies are True Revelations, which might occur when meditating on the God Of Common Sense.

Origins

The term "folk etymology" originated in the Middle Ages in Europe when most writing was in Latin rather than the local vernaculars. Many monasteries possessed Latin Dictionaries, but vernacular dictionaries were forbidden. Despite this restriction, in many places laymen wrote dictionaries in their own language. Since the laity was generally less educated than the clergy and nobility, they often mistook the origins of words for more novel inventions. Eventually folk etymologies became so distrusted that the term was applied to any apocryphal explanation for the origin of a word.

Linguistics

In linguistics, "folk etymology" refers to the modification of a word or phrase (or parts thereof), contrary to the colloquial definition provided above. One could make the rather asinine argument that misusing the term is itself modifying its meaning in popular usage, and thus a folk etymology, but technically it refers to the change of a word or phrase or part of a phrase or part of a part of a phrase (Ad Finitum) which may or may not maintain (a part or parts of) its original meaning. However, this does not impact the veracity of this article, or any damage it may do to the reader hereof.

Examples

In Folk Etymology, the term 'Folk Etymology' stems from:

The study (Logy)
of People (Folk)
Eating (Ety)
Moles (Molo),
The original phrase being: Follocus Aetymoulologias. (Contraction due to so called Spaghetti_Overdosing).

Not To Be Confused With

• Folk Mythology
• Fork Theology - How may Angelic Beans can God hold on the back of His Holy Fork?

See also

• Pinokkio - F. Etymologically: O.I.C.C.O.N.I.P. (Reversal & Adaption)
• You Know Who - Yu no Hu (Misled Mutation)