Iconoclast@feddit.uk to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world · 6 days agoWhat's an interesting etymology for a common term?message-squaremessage-square205linkfedilinkarrow-up1223arrow-down11
arrow-up1222arrow-down1message-squareWhat's an interesting etymology for a common term?Iconoclast@feddit.uk to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world · 6 days agomessage-square205linkfedilink
minus-squareDrewmeister@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up77·6 days agoI don’t think anyone has mentioned “helicopter” yet. It’s not heli and copter like you might think. It’s helico like helix meaning spiral and pter like pterodactyl meaning winged.
minus-squareBubs12@lemmy.cafelinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up22·6 days agoDoes that mean it has a silent P and we’ve all been pronouncing it wrong this whole time?
minus-squareCaptain Aggravated@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up13·5 days agoLet’s take the helicotter.
minus-squaregwl [he/him]@lemmy.blahaj.zonelinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up7·5 days agoAlternatively, we’ve been saying Pterodactyl wrong this whole time
minus-squareGumus@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up1·5 days agoNot all languages say “Pterodactyl” with a silent P.
minus-squaregwl [he/him]@lemmy.blahaj.zonelinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up1·4 days agoI’ve even seen some that it’s a stop /-/terodactly
minus-squareJonnyprophet@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up1·5 days agoI’ve always called them helo-cooters. You mean you haven’t?
minus-squareYaky@slrpnk.netlinkfedilinkarrow-up4·5 days ago“Вертолёт” (vertolyot) is a direct copy with “vert” meaning “spin” and “lyot” meaning “to fly”.
minus-squareZüri@lemmy.mllinkfedilinkarrow-up3·5 days agoGermans have a word for that “Schraubflügler” /jk
minus-squarespizzat2@lemmy.ziplinkfedilinkarrow-up4·5 days agoI always like to think of “Hubschrauber” as “hübsch Räuber”.
I don’t think anyone has mentioned “helicopter” yet. It’s not heli and copter like you might think. It’s helico like helix meaning spiral and pter like pterodactyl meaning winged.
Does that mean it has a silent P and we’ve all been pronouncing it wrong this whole time?
Let’s take the helicotter.
Hee-licko-tear
Alternatively, we’ve been saying Pterodactyl wrong this whole time
Not all languages say “Pterodactyl” with a silent P.
I’ve even seen some that it’s a stop /-/terodactly
I’ve always called them helo-cooters. You mean you haven’t?
“Вертолёт” (vertolyot) is a direct copy with “vert” meaning “spin” and “lyot” meaning “to fly”.
Germans have a word for that “Schraubflügler”
/jk
I always like to think of “Hubschrauber” as “hübsch Räuber”.