Definition

Noun: A folk etymology is a widely held but incorrect explanation for the origin of a word or phrase. It arises when people change an unfamiliar word to resemble a more familiar word or phrase, often creating a plausible-sounding but historically false story about its beginnings.

Usage

This term is used in linguistics and historical studies to describe and analyze these popular misconceptions about word origins. * The term is typically used as a countable noun (e.g., "a folk etymology," "several folk etymologies"). * It often appears in discussions correcting a common misunderstanding.

Examples

• The idea that "posh" comes from "Port Out, Starboard Home" on old cruise ship tickets is a well-known folk etymology.
• Linguists have debunked the folk etymology that "rule of thumb" originated from an old law about the thickness of a stick a man could use to beat his wife.
• Many folk etymologies are more entertaining and memorable than the true, often more mundane, origins of words.

Advanced Usage

• Process of Folk Etymology: The term can also refer to the linguistic process itself, where a word is altered over time due to this popular reanalysis. For example, the word "crayfish" comes from the Old French "crevice," but was altered to resemble the more familiar words "cray" (a type of fish) and "fish."
• As an Attributive Noun: It can modify other nouns, as in "folk etymology explanation" or "folk etymology belief."

Variants and Related Words

• Etymological Fallacy: A related concept that involves incorrectly assuming a word's current meaning is determined by its historical origin.
• False Etymology: A broader, more general synonym for a mistaken explanation of a word's origin, not necessarily one that is popularly held.

Synonyms

• Popular etymology
• False etymology
• Pseudo-etymology

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To be a case of folk etymology": Used to label a specific mistaken origin story.
  • The story about "news" being an acronym for "North, East, West, South" is a classic case of folk etymology.

Noun

1. a popular but erroneous etymology