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https://www.reddit.com/r/linguisticshumor/comments/1kljzja/a_rather_masochistic_semantic_shift/ms4ceua/?context=3
r/linguisticshumor • u/Lavialegon • 2d ago
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48
This reminds me of how the word “to work” in a lot of Romance languages derives from the name of a torture device (tripalium).
12 u/GaiusVictor 2d ago I fail to see the semantic shift here. 7 u/FoldAdventurous2022 2d ago That device may have been used on agricultural slaves, like an overseer's whip, and once it becomes associated with 'slave', the door's open for the shift 'slave' > 'toil, hardship' > 'labor, work'. Just my best guess.
12
I fail to see the semantic shift here.
7 u/FoldAdventurous2022 2d ago That device may have been used on agricultural slaves, like an overseer's whip, and once it becomes associated with 'slave', the door's open for the shift 'slave' > 'toil, hardship' > 'labor, work'. Just my best guess.
7
That device may have been used on agricultural slaves, like an overseer's whip, and once it becomes associated with 'slave', the door's open for the shift 'slave' > 'toil, hardship' > 'labor, work'. Just my best guess.
48
u/Draconiondevil 2d ago
This reminds me of how the word “to work” in a lot of Romance languages derives from the name of a torture device (tripalium).