The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-12-10
DD0RIGIN Words


----~-----~ l1sfki 4.l
me superstsssoa % shipps- Gsss us
.sehoensrs-whers dsnheusttsr Came
xrcmr-How .sQaizs Was MaAs- -.sLuil.-
By Originated WIN Arabian MotherA
There are words all frequently use whosa
histories and derivations are quaint and
peculiar. The schooneF 10 comparatively
modern craft and Is product Of Yankee
ingenuity. A bluff cid New England
skipper, Captain Andrew Robinson, who
probably brought more slaves to the colo
niles than molassus and other common Inn
portations, one day came TO the conclusion
that he could rig boat that would be an
Improvement on the craft then In use for
ooastwise shipping. Bang superstitlous,
as most seafaring people are, he determined
to let chance name his now boat. There
were many spectators ht the launching,
some shaking their heads obviously, others
ridiouling and then Others believing in
the invention Of the old captain. AS tho
boat left the stays she plunged her nose ia-
10 the water, came up again like q cork
and skinned over the water like bird.
A burst of admiration broke from the
crowd and one Of the pplookers exolaim-
Cd, "See how she scoorsp' Captain Rob-
inson reverently taking the cue said,
.Then ecooner lot her Ne, - and ssscooner,'
she has been ever siuob. with the exoen-
ton Of the letter ssh, a which generally
manages somehow to get into words where
IL Is not needed,
Another curious word, which has sig
niflcant and historical origin, is silhouette.
Although this word Is somewhat I'M Eng
lish, still 1t comes under the general APP
proprintion which the English speakinr
people made of everything that would
serve them. Ono Silhouette was min
lister Of state OF France IN 1880. critical
period with that country financially. which
came near oulninatina In national bank
ruptcy. Silhouette Is represented as being
n very wise and sauahious man. and in
politics he would now be termed a ssro-
former"
silhouette and his doctrines became the
Init of nil the wits Of Paris. and many 4
Jest was pcrpctrated on the minister of
state under tho yeryI nose of Silhouette.
With serious fnces hut laughing invnrsilv
persops wore short cents without sleeves.
and MANY other extrhyaonpoes of n like
nature were committed. among which yvns
one of particular note which created n
great deal Of merriment at the tirne-in
fact. SO much SO that 1t has been handed
down to us together with the name of tho
great reformer as l,eiuo the olimax NJ the
pranks Of the Partisan wits. An If tba
PORTRAITS were made In black 10 rcnres ent,
a profile of tho face and bust similar 10 n
shadow cast upon N w hite manner Inv the aid
| of a strong lipht. Tins eoonomizino color,
cd paints and otbor expensiyo materinIs
and this Ia our present Silhouette and Mi
| that is left of him.
The youth speaks OF going To his "bab.
erdashcr." This word Is among TINT class
! that owe their origin to one of the most
| common Of sonrces-yiz cnrruntion Tho
| small shopkcepers of GERMANY Ind n c,,s.
| tom in past ares of standing in the doors
| of their sbops and inviting an inspsction
| of their wares. Their common salutatiop
| to every pnsserbv who Ind the nnnearapce
| of being In tho least srtsoentibIe was nUaht
| ihr dass, herrY'' octave YOU this. sirpnl
which was. ono NAV readily Imagine cor.
| rupted into "haberdnsher" nv rnnid and
| constant reuetitIop.
| Another word. ttoxobenuer. ~ has m No.
eulinr derivation m Tho timo NJ tho old
Normans there vas astablisbed n court N
| eonity. or claims before which ,vas settled
tho claims Of tho kindt unon tho peonIe tIo
! claims az the noople tTnon tho king and IN
claims Of tbe neonlo nnon the noonle IA.
fore tho iudpo or prosidinv ofIicer Of this
| court was a table. upbn which was n check
cred cloth similar Ia n ebegsboard which
was used as an assistant In counting. and
to observe this court In session n Ind Tie
nppenrnnce az n pnn1o Of cbeckcrs md Sd
by common usage III became Tho oourt d,
exebenuer. from whihh comes Tho word ms
It is most commonly used now. meaning
nripeinnlIv n treasury
Tho word nouizn II nurelv an accident
or. moro proporly sntnkinv the result AZ
nm Irishmanis Joke. and in reality bas M
meaning. A waper was made between
como stt,dents n III olI unIvo-ait., thot
ono Of them conld nnt invert n nc,y word
,vbich in "a ho,,rs would ho ,ho ,oii. al
nll Dnblin There vas ,nncb lnugbtpr nj
the expense Of tho would be coiner Of Tho
now word, hut next morning mon risiue
tho new word WINS M tho exnense Of M,
srofrers for INA Iotthrs :, :, i ! wore ,,ostof