My wife jokes that John hammering on something is my version of a white noise relaxation machine, and she isn't entirely wrong. Lots of interesting little tidbits of information, but mostly just watching the work take shape to the steady 'ping ping ping' of the hammer is pleasing.
The words for blacksmithing (or smithing) are strange and interesting themselves. As I recall, "smith" has Germanic/Anglo-Saxon roots, but forge is French root. I think it is one of those cases where the English/Germanic word was used by the peasants while the French got overlayed by the Norman conquerors post 1066. This is also the case with our words for meat and animals. Cows are cows till we eat them, then they become beef, pigs become pork, etc. Apparently we are one of the only languages that does this, and the reason is that cow, pig, deer, etc. are the Anglo-Saxon terms, but beef, pork and venison are the Norman French. So when the peasants are raising the animals they are called what the Saxons use, but when the lord eats them they are called by Norman words.
Looking it up on Etymology Online (https://www.etymonline.com/word/forge?ref=etymonline_crossreference) forge does come from French (like most English words with the ge sounds like ju sounds) having the Latin root meaning fabricate. That seems to be the source of the double meaning, positive and negative. It is perfectly fine to forge a sword or a plowshare, but it isn't ok to forge a document. In other words, if you are a peasant making something you are allowed to fabricate (tools, weapons, houses) you are fine forging it; things you aren't allowed to make (legal documents, coins) you are doing something bad by forging it.
And of course you want to avoid the whiff of misdeed, so while you forge specific things, your trade in general is smith and smithing, not forger and forgery.
Doc Hammer's Anvil: come for the pictures of metal projects and political commentary, stay for the long winded comments on medieval etymology! :D
Glad to have a name for you, John, Doc Hammer was getting clunky in conversational use. And I'm an etymology buff myself, so happy for the long-winded version. In fact, I'm doing an episode on words next week and I'm sure I can work this in. BTW, loved the spooky statues! Girls love ghouls, you're wise to do one for each daughter ;-)
John is only my name in reference to ladies of negotiable affection. I was referring to John Switzer (I think it is) of Black Bear Forge :) Eric will do for me for short.
I have to credit Terry Pratchett for that one :) Rarely has a wiser man turned funnier phrases, and that is still one of my favorites. Just makes me chuckle every time I think of it.
That and "Mr. Vimes said it is a misery wrapped in an enema and I don't mind telling you, I don't like the sound of that at all!"
What a delight! I had no idea I'd find forgery (is that a correct usage?) so fascinating!
Glad you enjoyed it!
My wife jokes that John hammering on something is my version of a white noise relaxation machine, and she isn't entirely wrong. Lots of interesting little tidbits of information, but mostly just watching the work take shape to the steady 'ping ping ping' of the hammer is pleasing.
The words for blacksmithing (or smithing) are strange and interesting themselves. As I recall, "smith" has Germanic/Anglo-Saxon roots, but forge is French root. I think it is one of those cases where the English/Germanic word was used by the peasants while the French got overlayed by the Norman conquerors post 1066. This is also the case with our words for meat and animals. Cows are cows till we eat them, then they become beef, pigs become pork, etc. Apparently we are one of the only languages that does this, and the reason is that cow, pig, deer, etc. are the Anglo-Saxon terms, but beef, pork and venison are the Norman French. So when the peasants are raising the animals they are called what the Saxons use, but when the lord eats them they are called by Norman words.
Looking it up on Etymology Online (https://www.etymonline.com/word/forge?ref=etymonline_crossreference) forge does come from French (like most English words with the ge sounds like ju sounds) having the Latin root meaning fabricate. That seems to be the source of the double meaning, positive and negative. It is perfectly fine to forge a sword or a plowshare, but it isn't ok to forge a document. In other words, if you are a peasant making something you are allowed to fabricate (tools, weapons, houses) you are fine forging it; things you aren't allowed to make (legal documents, coins) you are doing something bad by forging it.
And of course you want to avoid the whiff of misdeed, so while you forge specific things, your trade in general is smith and smithing, not forger and forgery.
Doc Hammer's Anvil: come for the pictures of metal projects and political commentary, stay for the long winded comments on medieval etymology! :D
Glad to have a name for you, John, Doc Hammer was getting clunky in conversational use. And I'm an etymology buff myself, so happy for the long-winded version. In fact, I'm doing an episode on words next week and I'm sure I can work this in. BTW, loved the spooky statues! Girls love ghouls, you're wise to do one for each daughter ;-)
John is only my name in reference to ladies of negotiable affection. I was referring to John Switzer (I think it is) of Black Bear Forge :) Eric will do for me for short.
Excellent term for transactional relationships, Eric.
I have to credit Terry Pratchett for that one :) Rarely has a wiser man turned funnier phrases, and that is still one of my favorites. Just makes me chuckle every time I think of it.
That and "Mr. Vimes said it is a misery wrapped in an enema and I don't mind telling you, I don't like the sound of that at all!"
Hahaha. One of my old radio episodes is called, "With Friends Like This, Who Needs Enemas?"
Another relaxing read here. That's how I experience it. If you start a chat I'll share a pic of my cute little wood store sometime