Significant etymology ; or, Roots, stems, and branches of the English language

t-fEtymologySignificantSignificant Etymologyorand BranchesRoots, Stems,of the English LanguageBYTHE VERY REV.D.D.MITCHELL, M.A.,JAMESWILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONSEDINBURGH AND LONDONM CMV I 1 1All Rights reservedPREFACE.THIS book is what it to a collectionprofesses be,simplyand of the of theexplanation significant etymologies EnglishIt not written for but for intelli-islanguage. philologists,and men and women who are interestedgent thoughtfulin the of their own and of the sourcesstudy language,""from which it is derived. I have called itSignificantbecause those roots are which throwEtymology, only givenof words fromthe the derived them.light upon significationTo a word from for of the sameGerman, example,quotesound and of the same as our is notown,meaning signifi-but andcant unless foruseless,etymology, insignificantand it is as that; besides, justcomparative philology likelythe German word has been taken from the as theEnglishfrom the German. In wherecase, however,English everythe word us to understand the oforiginal helps meaningan word or shows us how it has come tobetter,Englishbear its I have endeavoured to trace thepresent meaning,the written recordsetymology clearly step by step throughof even until its has been found inpast centuries, originthe fixed form of a parent language.I do claim Inot for the haveoriginality etymologiesVI PREFACE.otherwise would be of little but Ivalue,verygiven, theyall the ofhave traced them ...