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DWARF DOG

1/3/2020

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The commonly accepted plural for corgi is corgis, but if we're to be etymologically accurate, it should be corgwn. This reflects the word's origin; it was borrowed in 1921 from Welsh corci. That was a compound of the words cor, meaning "dwarf", and ci, meaning "dog". Cor traces to the Proto-Brythonic word korr, which is from Proto-Celtic korros ("stunted")  and ultimately Proto-Indo-European. Ci, which was pronounced like "key" (the velar stop was voiced after the r) and comes from Proto-Brythonic ki and Proto-Celtic ku, which had the same definition but could also mean "wolf". Finally, that's reconstructed to the Proto-Indo-European root kwon. The term corgi has been increasing in literary usage over time, peaking in the year 1999, and according to Google Trends it's most searched for in Wyoming.
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    Hello! I'm Adam Aleksic, a sophomore studying linguistics and government at Harvard University, where I founded the Harvard Undergraduate Linguistics Society. I also have disturbing interests in politics, vexillology, geography, board games, conlanging, and law. 
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