THE ETYMOLOGY NERD
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Word Archives
  • Infographics
  • Videos
  • MORE
    • Retail Reviews
    • Cartoons
    • Clarifications
    • Resources
    • Accomplishments

THE JOY OF JEWEL

4/13/2017

0 Comments

 
Money can buy happiness, at least etymologically speaking. The word jewel (through Anglo-Norman juel) derives from the Old French word jouel, or "ornament". There is some debate on where this word comes from, but both theories lead to Latin. The more widely accepted school of thought is that jouel ultimately is from the titular Latin word jocale, meaning "that which causes joy".  Since both games and jokes cause laughter, which is associated with joy, it then makes sense that the next step back takes us to the other Latin term iocus, "joke or game". This, through Proto-Italic joko, would ultimately stem from the Proto-Indo-European word for "word", ioko. The other main theory is semantically similar: it suggests that jouel comes from another Latin word for "joy", gaudium. Phonemically, this is kind of a stretch, but if correct, this would take us back to the Proto-Indo-European word gehu, or "to rejoice". Maybe diamonds really are a girl's best friend...
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    AUTHOR

    Picture
    Adam Aleksic is a 217-month-old, 2800-ounce high school senior with disturbing interests in etymology, vexillology, geography, board games, and law. Adam is anxiously awaiting his college rejections and loves writing about himself in the third person.
      Please check the word archives first
    Submit
    CONFUSED?
      

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016

    The Etymology Nerd

Picture

A lexophile's sanctum - Over 90,000 served!

Home • Blog • Interesting Infographics • Retail Reviews • Cartoons • Clarifications • Word Archives • Resources • Accomplishments
CONTACT: etymologynerd@gmail.com
TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • YOUTUBE • RSS
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Word Archives
  • Infographics
  • Videos
  • MORE
    • Retail Reviews
    • Cartoons
    • Clarifications
    • Resources
    • Accomplishments