Nothing at all
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It just occurred to me that the word 'exotic' is an orphan in the American English language. There are others; Anyone care to comment or add?
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What is meant by a word is "an orphan in the American English language"?
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I suppose by orphan you meant here adopted? I know of orphans and windows in a text, being seperated from the rest of the sentence. Adopted means taken from another language and integrated in the "lending" language.
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Ah, a loanword like berserk from Old Norse, and amok or amuck from Malay languages?
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The title of the thread ought also clearly tell what will be discussed. :unsure:
This thread bears the title nothing at all! :blink: -
I meant 'abandoned', as opposed to 'without parents'. I apologise.
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isn't almost every word an orphan from another language?
Just take a simple word:
window <-> vindauga (wind eye) which is still in use in Norway and Iceland AFAIK -
That's the thing about the English language its constantly evolving and changing. When I was a boy 'gay' was a common word, it still is but the meaning's completely different, we don't have gay times anymore, not like we used to.
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i really meant nothing is 'exotic' in our very small world. And Thanks, Rain. the word Gay doesn't even mean homosexual anymore! Now it's more 'ersatz' or 'lacking completeness'. Btw; I did not mean to imply 'parentless'. I too love etymology!
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Lots of things are exotic - to someone. So if "orphan" means without use, I'd have to disagree … and then there's the scientific usage.
And as far as it goes ... didn't Kentucky have to update their official state song. I recall the original version contains both the word "darkies" (negros) and "gay" ...
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