I like to ponder the meaning of words. I am not an educated philologist but I am into orgins and the true meaning of names. I wrote up an extensive glossary of names I use in my historical/speculative novel which alas will not be in Heroes of the Fallen-perhaps its sequel Blood of Our Fathers we shall see.
So I was pondering the use of NIMROD in popular culture, anyone outside of Church uses it as Idiot, Moron, Fool etc, I think it all goes back to Bugs Bunny calling
Elmer Fudd-Nimrod as a sarcastic dig because the Bible says Nimrod was a mighty hunter-which Fudd is surely not. So as a gag it has grown until it lost the original meaning from a sarcastic comment.Any other names or words that have lost their original meanings?
8 comments:
That's fascinating. I never knew that. Bugs Bunny certainly does have his place in the pop cultural hall of fame.
"Overture, dim the lights. This is it, we'll hit the heights. And oh what heights we'll hiiiiiit. On with the show this is it!"
This post reminds me of the line from Seinfeld where Elaine says how sad that everything Jerry knows about culture he learned from watching Bugs Bunny.
L.A., I grew up on Bugs Bunny watched it every Saturday morning and whenever else it was on too. I need to get a copy of The Rings of the Nibelung episode.
Karen, I love Seinfeld but I don't remember that.
I don't believe I even knew that nimrod had a different meaning. Cool. I love learning about new words too. I always try to throw some unusual words or rare words into my fiction. I loved when authors did that for me when I was growing up.
Thanks Charles-I always shoot for something new too.
I look forward to reading your books too.
Thanks for dropping by.
re: Nimrod
Interesting theory.
I forwarded it to a friend of mine who is a huge Chuck Jones fan. :)
Well, not all changes in words are bad. The word Christian began as an insult/slur from the Romans to the followers of Christ. Look what it has become!
Thanks Paul
Weston what did it man besides folower of Christ then?
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