Ok - I don't feel like looking this up and also thought it would be an interesting discussion.

Why remorse? What is morse, then? Is that when you first feel bad, you feel morse . . . and then later you feel remorse?

and remark? Did you mark something first, and then have to remark it? Doesn't really make sense with modern language.

That's because there are two different prefixes re- in English, though etymologically from the same Latin source. One is the fused prefix pronounced [r@] or [rI], and which basically contributes no distinct meaning in modern English, it's just an integral part of the word. The other is the living prefix pronounced [ri:], meaning 'again', which can be attached to English words to form new words.

The two suffixes contrast in a few pairs, such as resign vs re-sign, recreation vs re-creation; and with such pairs it's useful to write a hyphen after the [ri:] prefix to make clear the distinction.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: aput,

Remorse is an interesting word. It means, in Latin, 'to bite again; vex, torment': remordeo (past participle remorsum 'bitten again'). There is a famous, 14th-century English poem called the Ayenbite of Inwit (literally, the Remorse (again-bite) of Concience (inner-wit). It's not an original poem, but a reworked translation of some French material.

[Typo fixed.]

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,

Zmj, could you post the poem, or is it too long?

quote:

could you post the poem, or is it too long?

It's book-lengthy, IIRC. But, it is online. Warning, it's in Middle English, but should be readable with a good dictionary and some patience. It's slighly earlier than Chaucer.

Almi3ti god
yaf ten hestes
ine þe la3e of iewes
þet Moyses onderuing
ine þe helle of Synay
ine tuo tables of ston
þet were i-write
mid godes vingre.
and him-zelf
efter his beringe
ine his spelle
het hise healde
and loki
to ech man
þet wile by y-bor3e.
and huo þet agelt
ine enie of þe ilke hestes: him ssel þerof uor-þenche
and him ssriue
and bidde god merci
yef he wyle by ybor3e.

Almighty God
gave ten commandments
in the law of the Jews
that Moses _________
in the hell of Sinai
in two tablets of stone
that were written
with God's finger.
&c.

[Fixed URL.]

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,

... and a few hints about Kentish, such as that it's a southern dialect and therefore has initial z and v (or u) for Midlands (and Modern Standard English) s and f. So vingre = fingre, zelf = self.

Also that use of ss for modern sh even initially is unusual: ssel = shall, ssriue = shrive.

Yes, vixen (for female fox) is supposed to be from a southern dialect.

Quote: "Yes, vixen (for female fox) is supposed to be from a southern dialect."

I vaguely recall that of all the words begining with 'v', only three trace back to Old English (vixen among them), and that in each case the v-sond preserves an old regional pronunciaton.

Quote: "Yes, vixen (for female fox) is supposed to be from a southern dialect."

I vaguely recall that of all the words begining with 'v', only three trace back to Old English (vixen among them), and that in each ca

quote:

But, it is online.

Could the rest of you get that link to work? I couldn't. Also, what is IIRC?

In the link, for Ayenbitel read Ayenbite

IIRC = if I recall correctly

Sorry about that. I've corrected the URL. Thanks, aput.

Thanks, Aput and Zmj!

Hoo...that isn't easy to read, is it?

In one of those one-in-a-million coincidences that seem to occur roughly once a week, today is the second day in a row where I have read that remordere is Latin for "to bite again." The first came up when I stumbled upon the phrase "ayenbite of inwit" which I immediately knew could not yet be in The OEDILF. It's just too obscure and too difficult to write on, right? I did a little research into the phrase (which is where I first came across the "remorse" etymology) but it's a good thing I checked the database before setting out to tackle this monster. I would have spent easily an hour before coming up with something not half as good as what Mike Scholtes already had submitted:

When the stockholders urge you perforce
To downsize and then to outsource,
May the ayenbite of inwit
Repay that gray sin wit'
Unendingly stinging remorse.

(AYN-bite of IN-wit) The remorse of conscience. Sometimes spelled agenbite, the phrase literally signifies your conscience (inwit or inwyt) bites you again.

quote:

one-in-a-million coincidences

I am at a conference in Washington DC, and a speaker today said that she always thought coincidences were "God acting anonymously." Interesting thought!

Nice limerick. Can't say that I've heard of "ayenbite of inwit." It is an interesting definition.