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Topic: Vim, vigor, & vinegar

The phrase vim and vigor is sometimes fashioned as vim and vinegar, while vim and vinegar has a less-polite substitute (one we won't be repeating on this program).

So what can we tell you about vim, vigor, and vinegar? For starters, vigor is not a shortening of vinegar. The French ancestor of the English vinegar literally means "sour wine;" for eight centuries it has referred to the sour condiment (or to a sourness of humor); only relatively recently did vinegar develop its sense synonymous with vim; vigorous strength and spirits.

We'll remain forceful and energetic as we move on to vigor. Vigor is nearly as old as vinegar; it first appeared in English in the 14th century and shares a Latin ancestry with vigil in words meaning "to rouse; excite; be active; flourish;to be vigorous."

What differentiates the vinegar synonymous with vim from vigor? Vim stresses the display of usually enthusiastic energy in doing or making something, while vigor implies active good health and native robustness or a display of energy or forcefulness deriving from it or befitting it.

So where does vim come from? It too claims Latin ancestry, but that mid-19th century coinage has other linguistic kin in the Sanskrit word for strength; the Old Norse words for "to catch; hunt;" the Greek word "to hurry," and the Lithuanian word "to pursue."

Questions or comments? Write us at wftw@aol.com Production and research support for Word for the Wise comes from Merriam-Webster, publisher of language reference books and Web sites including Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.

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