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Thanks for your understanding.
Chris -- 2018-04-11
Google counts on Sept 9, 2006
397,000 querulous
1840 quarrelous
Analysis by Joe Krozel
“Querulous” means habitually complaining.
The eggcorn “quarrelous” must mean habitually quarreling, for it seems to be inspired by querulous after completely bypassing “quarrelsome” in the dictionary.
(This continues my long-held belief that certain words subliminally direct the selection of other words. See, for instance, my posts “Words with similar spelling and meaning” and “Youth in Asia” for other examples).
Examples:
John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany – Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThe fragmentary and quarrelous politics of Scotland overthrew and also restored Albany’s powers several times. The earl of Angus made his peace with Albany …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stewart,_2nd_Duke_of_Albany – 24k – Cached – Similar pages
Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam – Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDe With however also was a very quarrelous man who had made himself profoundly hated throughout the rank and file of the navy. His appointment might cause …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_van_Wassenaer_Obdam – 29k – Cached – Similar pages
Montaigne’s EssaysIt is not sufficiently generous or vigorous, except it be contentious and quarrelous; if she be civilised and a skilfull artist; if it feare a shocke or …
www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/montaigne/3viii.htm – 66k – Cached – Similar pages
The Preacher’s MissionHe must not take delight in quarrelous disputations or engage in controversies so as to show the superiority of his talents, but be calm and composed. ...
www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg48.htm – 7k – Cached – Similar pages
The Liam McEneaney ExperienceIt’s almost like an entire nation has become a quarrelous old man at the end of a bar saying, “Dammit, I used to be the heavyweight champion of the world! ...
kidliam.blogspot.com/2004_11_01_kidliam_archive.html – 115k – Cached – Similar pages
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Are we dealing with alternate forms of the same word here? QUEREL is listed as an old form of QUARREL in the OED. And QUERELOUS is listed as as an old form of QUERULOUS. Complaining and quarreling are related concepts. The Latin roots seem pretty much the same.
If you found a STONE QUARREL somewhere, you might have an eggcorn, or you might just have an old Scottish usage. How about a MARBLE QUERY?
Or how about STALKING ONE’S QUERY? (= seeking what you seek) That might well be an eggcorn if anybody actually ever has said it. I will look…
Now I have looked. We have one Google instance of “stalked his query.” It appears in The Ayodhya Tale, Dedicated to: Santh Samrat of Sitapur, Author: Dr. Alokesh Bagchi, bengalonline.sitemarvel.com/netaji_chap4.html
This is an obscure Bengali tale. If you look at this “eggcorn”, you will see that it appears in realtion to an inquiry in the tale. So the QUERY for QUARRY may be intentional. I honestly cannot tell, because the story is so odd. What do you think?
Last edited by Tom Neely (2006-09-09 23:33:39)
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Yes, but more complicated:
I believe QUARRELOUS is just a newer form of QUERULOUS. Both come from a Latin word QUEROR, = complain, with an obvious connection to the concept of quarrel. But QUERY comes from Latin QUAERO, = seek. And QUARRY, in the sense of hunted, is related to Latin CORIUM, = hide, in the sense of leather.
Last night, I was prospecting for eggcorns based on the sounds of the words. All this Latin may be too boring for this delightful Eggcorn Forum! And it does not matter so much! It is just background.
1. That is how I came up with QUERY for QUARRY. Both of these words are active English words.
2. I believe QUARRELOUS may be an allowable word, even though we already have QUARRELSOME. QUARRELOUS may be just a logical update for QUERULOUS, since QUARREL has completely replaced an older form, QUEREL.
Chairs!
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My final impression about “quarrelous” is that it did not derive from a mishearing of “querulous” but through a word invention process of hooking “quarrel” up with the wrong suffix: ”-ous” instead of ”-some.” (It would be akin to saying someone is “unattentive” rather than “inattentive.”) Hence, not an eggcorn.
Last edited by jorkel (2006-10-22 13:32:55)
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