WORDS WITH ODD HISTORIES

New Zealand Tablet, 11 April 1912, Page 62

WORDS WITH ODD HISTORIES

I hope that when you are older you will be able to take up the, study of words, for you will learn some very interesting ’things about them. For instance, long - years ago people thought that a certain little flower looked very much like the sun, for, they saw that it had a golden centre like the centre of the sun, and that its pretty white petals looked like the brilliant rays of light shining out around the centre of the sun. Now, in those days the glowing light of the sun seemed to the people looking up at it like a great eye watching'all day long, so they called it the ‘ day’s eye,” because it webbed only during the day. Now I wonder if you have guessed what the little flower’s name is because it looks so much like the sun ? Well, then, I will tell you. It is ‘ d-a-i-s-y.’ But its longago name was ; ‘ day’s eye.’ ’ ■ :v I know another story about the history of'a- word that: I think you will like also. Once upon a time a long: while ago there lived a wise man named Duns Scotus, a queer name, I am sure you will say. Well, this man was the leader and teacher of a certaip school of great learning. - . * iX b - But after a while another school of learning grew up in that same city, and the men who went there to study • thought differently from Duns Scotus’ way of teaching, and often made fun of it. The rivalry between the two schools became so unpleasant that when the students met on the streets they would mock each other and say unkind things.. v V . / .: When a student of the new school met a student of the old school he would say.: Oh, there goes . a Dunsman !’ which meant a man who studied with Duns, the leader of the school. Then, too, they would cry; ‘ Oh, there goes a Duns !’ Well, now, have you guessed what word was born then ? It was the word ‘ d-u-n-c-e !’ That is a strange history for a little word, is it not?