silly (adj.)
古英语 gesælig “快乐的, 偶然的, 繁荣的” (与 sæl “幸福” 有关), 来自于原日耳曼语 *sæligas (也是古北欧语 sæll “快乐”, 古撒克逊语 salig, 中荷兰语 salich, 古高德语 salig, 德语 selig “幸福的, 快乐的, 幸福的”, 哥特语 sels “好的, 善良的” 的来源).
This is one of the few instances in which an original long e (ee) has become shortened to i. The same change occurs in breeches, and in the American pronunciation of been, with no change in spelling. [Century Dictionary]
这个词的意义发展相当大, 从“快乐” 到“幸福” 到“虔诚”, 到“无辜” (13世纪), 到“无害”, 到“可怜” (13世纪末), 到“软弱” (14世纪), 再到“心灵脆弱, 缺乏理智, 愚蠢” (1570年代). 在 knocked silly, 等 Silly season 新闻俚语中进一步趋向于“惊呆了, 像被打击了一样晕眩” (1886年). 新闻俚语中 从1861年开始(8月和9月, 报纸用琐碎的故事来弥补硬新闻的不足). Silly Putty 商标主张从1949年7月开始使用.
It is a widespread phenomenon that the words for 'innocent', apart from their legal use, develop, through 'harmless, guileless', a disparaging sense 'credulous, naive, simple, foolish. ' [Buck]
Entries linking to silly
c. 1200, "mild, well-mannered," Old English gedæfte "gentle, becoming," from Proto-Germanic *gadaftjaz (source also of Old English daeftan "to put in order, arrange," gedafen "suitable;" Gothic gadaban "to be fit"), from *dab-, which has no certain IE etymology and is perhaps a substratum word.
Sense deteriorated to "dull, awkward, uncouth, boorish" (c. 1300), perhaps via the notion of "humble." Further evolution to "foolish, simple, stupid" (mid-15c.) and "crazy" (1530s) probably was influenced by analogy with daffe "halfwit, fool, idiot" (see daffy); the whole group probably has a common origin. For sense evolution, compare nice, silly. Related: Daftly; daftness.
late 14c., "lucky, favored by fortune, being in advantageous circumstances, prosperous;" of events, "turning out well," from hap (n.) "chance, fortune" + -y (2). Sense of "very glad" first recorded late 14c. Meaning "greatly pleased and content" is from 1520s. Old English had eadig (from ead "wealth, riches") and gesælig, which has become silly. Old English bliðe "happy" survives as blithe. From Greek to Irish, a great majority of the European words for "happy" at first meant "lucky." An exception is Welsh, where the word used first meant "wise."
Happy medium "the golden mean" is from 1702. Happy ending in the literary sense recorded from 1756. Happy as a clam (1630s) was originally happy as a clam in the mud at high tide, when it can't be dug up and eaten. Happy hunting ground, the reputed Native American paradise, is attested from 1840, American English. Happy day for "wedding day" is by 1739; happy hour for "early evening period of discount drinks and free hors-d'oeuvres at a bar" is by 1961, said to be 1950s. Rock-happy (1945) was U.S. Pacific theater armed forces slang for "mentally unhinged after too much time on one island." Related: Happier; happiest.
Happy family an assemblage of animals of diverse habits and propensities living amicably, or at least quietly, together in one cage. [Century Dictionary]
updated on June 29, 2018
