231
What's an interesting etymology for a common term? (feddit.uk)
submitted 4 months ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
213 comments fedilink hide all child comments
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 34 points 4 months ago (6 children)

In Latin sinister means left (as in the direction), but later it also meant evil or unlucky. That led to the Old French senestre and sinistre, meaning false or unfavorable. Then finally the English sinister meaning malicious.

The etymology for left (especially in reference to handedness) in multiple languages is actually pretty discriminatory.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 6 child comments
    •
  • [–] 24 points 4 months ago (2 children)

    Since I'm a left-handed Native American with tan skin and I'm 6'1", I like telling people that I am a tall, dark, and sinister man.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 5 points 4 months ago

    I learned a while ago that the opposite of ambidextrous is ambisinister. The "left" origin of the word sinister gives a bit more context, as if describing someone who had two left hands!

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago* (1 child)

    I've heard "a diestra y siniestra" in Spanish which means left and right but it's Latin and left in Spanish is actually izquierda which doesn't have clear etymology. Most popular theory is that it comes from Basque language and somehow substituted 'siniestra' at some point but it's contested. It's mostly agreed it comes from some language that predated Romans and Latin, probably from Pyrenees but no one knows which language that was for sure.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •