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Chris -- 2018-04-11
We adopted the word “juggernaut” from Hindi “JagannÄth.” It was a title for Krishni that means “Lord of the World.” At a famous Indian festival, an image of Krishni was hauled around and displayed in a large vehicle. Missionaries from Europe reported (correctly or incorrectly) that frenzied worshippers would throw themselves under the wheels of this vehicle in order to be crushed. From this story, English speakers derived the word “juggernaut” as a term for (1) a practice or belief fiercely held, (2) a large, unstoppable movement, and eventually (3) a big truck.
The current spelling of “juggernaut,” around since the early 1800s, show an assimilation to the “naut” combining form that comes from the Greek word for “sailor.” English speakers probably got to know “naut” from the word “argonaut,” the name for those who accompanied Jason in his search for the golden fleece—they were “sailors on the Argo.” Speakers then went on to use “naut” to form “aeronaut” and “astronaut” and a bunch of other “naut” words. The spelling of the Hindi term went to “juggernaut” about the time that the term was figuratively adapted as a word that suggested motion or traveling. Either respelling the word with “naut” licensed the extension of the meaning or the extension of the meaning attracted the “naut” spelling.
Are eggcorn hunters eggcornauts?
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
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kem wrote:
Are eggcorn hunters eggcornauts?
Only the naughty ones.
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