Monday, April 14, 2014

A-to-Z Challenge: Let

Back for more? Let’s get to it!


Ooh! Did I make a funny? 

No?

Another of the dateless, let comes from the Old English laetan, leave behind or allow. Before that, it was the Proto Germanic letan and Proto Indo European le-, to let go. There’s also an older, not used anymore definition of let that means hinder or obstruct. It actually has a different history than the common let, coming from the Old English  lettan, delay, and Proto Germanic latjanan, which happens to be an ancestor of the word late. Latjanan does come from le-, though, so the two lets are still somewhat related.

Sources
Tony Jebson’s page on the Origins of Old English
University of Texas at Austin Linguistic Research Center

10 comments:

  1. So one of the older meanings of a root word for 'let' means the opposite of let? Man, language is so odd...

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  2. Let it go!
    I'll have that song in my head all day now...

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  3. I find myself laughing at Liz's comment. Yes, language is odd.

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  4. I'm with Alex. I'll have Let it Go stuck in my head all day now. Interesting to see the different variations of words can ultimately lead to the words we use in modern English.

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  5. Excellent. Just when I thought I had that song out of my head (thanks, Alex). :)

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  6. Amazing how often the original meaning of the word was the opposite of the current meaning.

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  7. Let and late are related. Why does that not surprise me as much as it should?

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  8. Such a simple word and loaded with meaning.

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  9. Just stopping by from the A-Z list to say "Hi" and wish you good luck with the rest of the challenge :)

    I like your theme :) x

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  10. Interesting. So much behind a common word.

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