I can't help wonder if, since these words are still in use, would they be better described as "orphans" rather than "fossils". While detached from their etymological ancestors, they are very much alive.
Also, does the "spick" in "spick and span" have any link to its pluralised (and perhaps similarly orphaned or fossilised) form in the phase "spicks and specks"?
I like "orphan words"! It has a nice bit of sadness to it, and yeah, "fossil" implies that they're dead, which isn't quite right. Best I can guess on "spicks and specks" is that "spicks" is just a nonsense reduplication of "speck" as in "speck of dust," but I can't find much context for it other than the Bee Gees album with that title.
I believe that's one of the main theories! The OED seems to be too frightened to weigh in on it, but it does say that the earliest versions of shebang meant "a hut; dwelling quarters," which certainly makes the shebeen theory look pretty good.
This is a fascinating read. So many phrases I had taken for granted here. Still have no idea what “high dudgeon” is though.
Read any historical novel by Georgette Heyer and you will learn. 🙂
There's also the whole genre of word pairs where only one is still living, like gruntled/disgruntled
Growing up in Ireland in the 70's and 80's we used "span-new" on its own.
I don't know if it's still in contemporary usage there.
I can't help wonder if, since these words are still in use, would they be better described as "orphans" rather than "fossils". While detached from their etymological ancestors, they are very much alive.
Also, does the "spick" in "spick and span" have any link to its pluralised (and perhaps similarly orphaned or fossilised) form in the phase "spicks and specks"?
I like "orphan words"! It has a nice bit of sadness to it, and yeah, "fossil" implies that they're dead, which isn't quite right. Best I can guess on "spicks and specks" is that "spicks" is just a nonsense reduplication of "speck" as in "speck of dust," but I can't find much context for it other than the Bee Gees album with that title.
Most interesting essay, though. Enjoyed reading it very much.
I don’t think “druthers” is really a fossil - I think it’s just a piece of wordplay...deriving from “I’d rather [eg ...go to the flicks]”
So, “If I had my “I’d rather...”s”
Good point! I also think "druthers" is another word popularized by Mark Twain, weirdly.
I wonder if perhaps shebang is related to the Irish noun shebeen?
I believe that's one of the main theories! The OED seems to be too frightened to weigh in on it, but it does say that the earliest versions of shebang meant "a hut; dwelling quarters," which certainly makes the shebeen theory look pretty good.
Nailed it! 😉