Topic: Afraid
Today we respond to a group of people who happily parsed fray and affray with us but weren't afraid to say we left 'em wanting more.
They accepted that the verb fray, meaning "to wear out," claims a linguistic ancestor in the verb fricare (which also developed into friction); and they don't fight the notion that the fightin' noun words fray and affray share a linguistic ancestor that translates roughly as "without peace." But, they ask, surely afraid must be related to affray and fray? They also promised us no peace until we told more about that mysterious without peace kin.
For that, we head back to Vulgar Latin, the nonclassical Latin of ancient Rome spoken by both plebeians and educated Romans. Vulgar Latin is only scantily recorded in literature but it is considered the chief source of the Romance languages.
Supposedly, Vulgar Latin counts a word exfridare that devolved into affray and fray. ("Supposedly" acknowledges the rather sketchy attestation of that long-ago tongue.) But lexicographers believe exfridare counts in its etymology the ex that means "without" or "lacking," and the fridare that has an ancestor in the Old High German fridu meaning "peace." And yes, we're afraid afraid does share that same linguistic ancestor.
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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