[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.14,0:00:09.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,English, like all languages,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.03,0:00:10.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is a messy business.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.57,0:00:13.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can be uncouth but not couth.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.28,0:00:14.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can be ruthless,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.72,0:00:16.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but good luck trying to show somebody
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.33,0:00:17.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you have ruth
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.41,0:00:18.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,unless you happen to be married
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.95,0:00:20.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to someone named Ruth.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.69,0:00:22.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's bad to be unkempt
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.15,0:00:23.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but impossible to be kempt,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.100,0:00:27.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or sheveled as opposed to disheveled.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.30,0:00:27.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are other things
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.100,0:00:29.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that make no more sense than those
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.56,0:00:30.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but that seem normal now
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.86,0:00:32.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because the sands of time
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.45,0:00:34.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have buried where they came from.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.44,0:00:36.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, did you ever wonder
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.14,0:00:39.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,why a nickname for Edward is Ned?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.28,0:00:40.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Where'd the N come from?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.64,0:00:43.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's the same with Nellie for Ellen.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.25,0:00:45.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Afterall, if someone's name is Ethan,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.28,0:00:47.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we don't nickname him Nethan,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.40,0:00:50.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,nor we call our favorite Maria, Nmaria.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.58,0:00:51.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, if anyone did,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.90,0:00:54.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,our primary urge would be to either scold them
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.28,0:00:55.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or gently hide them away
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.75,0:00:57.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until the company had departed.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.77,0:01:01.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All these nicknames trace back to a mistake,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.36,0:01:04.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,although, a perfectly understandable one.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.12,0:01:06.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, even the word nickname is weird.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.93,0:01:09.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's so "nick" about a nickname?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.38,0:01:11.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is it that it's a name that has a nick in it?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.80,0:01:13.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's face it, not likely.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.56,0:01:16.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Actually, in Old English, the word was ekename,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.28,0:01:19.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and eke meant also or other.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.16,0:01:21.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can see eke still used
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.21,0:01:23.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in a sentence like,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.84,0:01:26.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Whan Zephyius eek with his sweete bieeth,"
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.75,0:01:27.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which meant,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.67,0:01:30.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"When Zephyr also with his sweet breath."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.17,0:01:33.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ekename meant "also name".
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.57,0:01:37.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What happened was that when people said, "an ekename,"
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.11,0:01:38.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it could sound like they were saying,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.67,0:01:40.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"a nekename,"
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.69,0:01:41.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and after a while,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.74,0:01:43.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so many people were hearing it that way,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.62,0:01:44.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they started saying,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.94,0:01:46.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"That's my nickname,"
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.29,0:01:49.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,instead of, "That's my ekename."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.74,0:01:51.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, the word had a stray n at the front
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.78,0:01:53.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that started as a mistake,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.18,0:01:56.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but from now on was what the word really was.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.04,0:01:57.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was rather as if you had gum
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.99,0:01:59.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the bottom of your shoe
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.54,0:02:00.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and stepped on a leaf,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.74,0:02:02.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dragged that leaf along for the rest of your life,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.74,0:02:04.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were buried wearing that shoe
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.18,0:02:05.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and went to heaven in it
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.33,0:02:08.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to spend eternity wedded to that stray, worn-out leaf.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.63,0:02:12.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ekename picked up an n and never let it go.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.06,0:02:13.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The same thing happened with other words.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.77,0:02:17.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Old English speakers cut otches into wood.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.41,0:02:18.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But after centuries of being asked
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.93,0:02:21.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to cut an otch into something,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.82,0:02:25.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was easy to think you were cutting a notch instead,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.62,0:02:27.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and pretty soon you were.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.41,0:02:29.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In a world where almost no one could read,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.28,0:02:31.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was easier for what people heard
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.19,0:02:32.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to become, after awhile,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.70,0:02:34.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what it started to actually be.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.83,0:02:37.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here's where the Ned-style nicknames come in.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.37,0:02:39.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Old English was more like German
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.49,0:02:41.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than our English is now,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.21,0:02:43.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and just as in German, my is mein,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.91,0:02:47.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Old English, my was meen.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.16,0:02:48.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You would say meen book,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.60,0:02:50.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actually boke in Old English,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.57,0:02:52.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or meen cat.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.10,0:02:53.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And just as today,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.59,0:02:55.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we might refer to our child
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.24,0:02:56.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as my Dahlia
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.42,0:02:57.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or my Laura,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.89,0:03:00.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Old English, they would say, "meen Ed".
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.58,0:03:02.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That is mein Ed,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.47,0:03:04.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,mein Ellie.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.34,0:03:06.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You see where this is going.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.08,0:03:08.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As time passed, meen morphed
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.54,0:03:10.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into the my we know today.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.92,0:03:14.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That meant that when people said, "mein Ed,"
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.07,0:03:17.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it sounded like they were saying my Ned.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.33,0:03:19.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That is, it sounded like whenever someone
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.19,0:03:21.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,referred to Edward affectionately,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.01,0:03:23.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they said Ned instead of Ed.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.78,0:03:26.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Behold, the birth of a nickname!
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.18,0:03:29.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or an ekename.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.06,0:03:31.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hence, also Nellie for Ellen
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.24,0:03:32.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and Nan for Ann,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.57,0:03:34.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and even in the old days, Nabby for Abigal.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.82,0:03:39.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,President John Adam's wife Abigal's nickname was Nabby.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.79,0:03:41.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All sorts of words are like this.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.58,0:03:44.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Old English speakers wore naprons,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.74,0:03:48.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but a napron sounds like an apron,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.84,0:03:50.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that gave birth to a word apron
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.76,0:03:53.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that no one in Beowulf would have recognized.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.33,0:03:56.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Umpire started as numprire too.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.93,0:03:58.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If all of this sounds like something sloppy
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.94,0:04:00.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we modern people would never do,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.93,0:04:02.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then think about something you hear all the time
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.82,0:04:04.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and probably say,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.20,0:04:06.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"a whole nother".
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.18,0:04:07.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's nother?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.74,0:04:10.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We have the word another, of course,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.32,0:04:13.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it's composed of an and other,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.60,0:04:14.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or so we thought.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.61,0:04:17.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yet, when we slide whole into the middle,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.44,0:04:19.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we don't say, "a whole other",
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.40,0:04:22.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we clip that n off of the an
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.31,0:04:23.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and stick it to other
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.46,0:04:26.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and create a new word, nother.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.40,0:04:28.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For a long time, nobody was writing
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.44,0:04:29.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these sort of things down
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.75,0:04:31.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or putting them in a dictionary,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.37,0:04:32.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but that's only because writing
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.71,0:04:35.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is more codified now than it was 1,000 years ago.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.75,0:04:37.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, when you see a weird word,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.35,0:04:38.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,remember that there might be
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.86,0:04:41.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a whole nother side to the story.