Etymological fallacy: Difference between revisions

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	{{Short description\|Fallacy ~~that~~ a word's history defines its meaning}}		{{Short description\|Fallacy in which a word's history defines its meaning}}

	An '''etymological fallacy''' is an ], arguing that a word is defined by its ], and that its ].<ref name="Sihler" /><ref>{{cite book \| first=Kenneth G. \| last=Wilson \| date=1993 \| title=The Columbia Guide to Standard American English \| article=Etymological Fallacy}}</ref>		An '''etymological fallacy''' is an ], arguing that a word is defined by its ], and that its ].<ref name="Sihler" /><ref>{{cite book \| first=Kenneth G. \| last=Wilson \| date=1993 \| title=The Columbia Guide to Standard American English \| article=Etymological Fallacy}}</ref>

	== History ==		== History ==

	{{Unreferenced section\|date=August 2023}}
			] believed that there was a "true meaning" of a word, distinct from common use. There is evidence that a similar belief existed among ancient ] scholars. In modern days, this fallacy can be found in some arguments of ]s.<ref name="Sihler" />
	] taught that a word's meaning could be tracked across time, creating a distinction between formal and informal language, with a similar practice existing among ancient ] scholars. In modern ], semiotics and semantics are intertwined, and reflective of a society's culture across time. The discipline operates on the principle that current meaning derives from previous meaning, which has embedded itself in the predicate of subsequent derivatives. Removing the etymological history thus removes necessary context on which present meaning ontologically depends.

	==Occurrence and examples==		==Occurrence and examples==

	An etymological fallacy becomes possible when a word's meaning ] over time from its original meaning. Such changes can include a narrowing or widening of scope or a change of connotation (amelioration or pejoration). In some cases, modern usage can shift to the point where the new meaning has no evident connection to its ].<ref name="Sihler">{{cite book\|last=Sihler\|first=Andrew\|author-link=Andrew Sihler\|title=Language History\|pages=131–133\|series=Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science. Series IV, Current issues in linguistic theory\|volume=191\|year=2000\|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing\|location=Amsterdam/Philadelphia\|isbn=90-272-3698-4}}</ref>		An etymological fallacy becomes possible when a word's meaning ] over time from its original meaning. Such changes can include a narrowing or widening of scope or a change of connotation (amelioration or pejoration). In some cases, modern usage can shift to the point where the new meaning has no evident connection to its ].{{Examples\|s\|date=June 2024}}<ref name="Sihler">{{cite book\|last=Sihler\|first=Andrew\|author-link=Andrew Sihler\|title=Language History\|pages=131–133\|series=Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science. Series IV, Current issues in linguistic theory\|volume=191\|year=2000\|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing\|location=Amsterdam/Philadelphia\|isbn=90-272-3698-4}}</ref>

			=== ''Antisemitism'' ===
	An example of a word with a potentially ] etymology is '']''. The structure of the word suggests that it is about opposition to and hatred of ]s, but the term was ] to specifically refer to anti-] beliefs and practices, and explicitly defined Jewish people as a racial class. Modern anthropology and evolutionary biology overwhelmingly reject the concept of race,<ref>Templeton, A. (2016). EVOLUTION AND NOTIONS OF HUMAN RACE. In Losos J. & Lenski R. (Eds.), How Evolution Shapes Our Lives: Essays on Biology and Society (pp. 346–361). Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctv7h0s6j.26.</ref><ref>Wagner, Jennifer K.; Yu, Joon-Ho; Ifekwunigwe, Jayne O.; Harrell, Tanya M.; Bamshad, Michael J.; Royal, Charmaine D. (February 2017). "Anthropologists' views on race, ancestry, and genetics". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 162 (2): 318–327. doi:10.1002/ajpa.23120. PMC 5299519. PMID 27874171.</ref> and the term ''Semite'' is rarely used anymore except in discussing ]. An etymological fallacy emerges when a speaker asserts that antisemitism is not restricted to hatred of Jews, but rather must include opposition to all other Semitic peoples.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Lipstadt \|first=Deborah \|author-link=Deborah Lipstadt \|year=2019 \|title=Antisemitism: Here and Now \|publisher=] \|isbn=978-0-80524337-6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|date=2022-02-04 \|title=Encyclopedia Britannica: Semitic people can't be called antisemitic \|url=https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-695378 \|access-date=2023-11-15 \|website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com \|language=en-US}}</ref> However, sources like ] still consider it a misnomer. <ref>{{Cite web \|title=Origins and concept of anti-Semitism {{!}} Britannica \|url=https://www.britannica.com/summary/anti-Semitism \|access-date=2023-11-29 \|website=www.britannica.com \|language=en}}</ref>
			The term '']'' refers to anti-] beliefs and practices.{{sfnp\|Lipstadt\|2019\|pp=22–25}}<ref>{{cite book \|last=Johnson \|first=Paul \|author-link=Paul Johnson (writer) \|year=1987 \|title=A History of the Jews \|location=New York, NY \|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers \|isbn=978-0-06-091533-9 \|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofjews00john\|page=133 }}</ref><ref name="JustJews">{{cite web \|last=Lewis \|first=Bernard \|author-link=Bernard Lewis \|title=Semites and Anti-Semites \|url=http://middleeastinfo.org/library/lewis_antisemitism.html \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514133732/http://middleeastinfo.org/library/lewis_antisemitism.html \|archive-date=14 May 2011 \|access-date=27 October 2018}}. Extract from ''Islam in History: Ideas, Men and Events in the Middle East'', The Library Press, 1973.{{cite journal \|last=Lewis \|first=Bernard \|author-link=Bernard Lewis \|date=Winter 2006 \|title=The New Anti-Semitism \|url=https://historynewsnetwork.org/blog/21832 \|url-status=dead \|journal=The American Scholar \|volume=75 \|pages=25–36 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108130056/http://historynewsnetwork.org/blog/21832 \|archive-date=8 November 2017 \|number=1}}</ref> It replaced the earlier term ''Jew-hatred''. The etymological fallacy arises when a speaker asserts its meaning is the one implied by the structure of the word—] against any of the ]s.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Lipstadt \|first=Deborah \|author-link=Deborah Lipstadt \|year=2019 \|title=Antisemitism: Here and Now \|publisher=] \|isbn=978-0-80524337-6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|date=2022-02-04 \|title=Encyclopedia Britannica: Semitic people can't be called antisemitic \|url=https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-695378 \|access-date=2023-11-15 \|website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com \|language=en-US\|author-first1=Michael\|author-last1=Starr}}</ref>

	==See also==		==See also==

Latest revision as of 01:33, 24 December 2024

Fallacy in which a word's history defines its meaning

An etymological fallacy is an argument of equivocation, arguing that a word is defined by its etymology, and that its customary usage is therefore incorrect.

History

Ancient Greeks believed that there was a "true meaning" of a word, distinct from common use. There is evidence that a similar belief existed among ancient Vedic scholars. In modern days, this fallacy can be found in some arguments of language purists.

Occurrence and examples

An etymological fallacy becomes possible when a word's meaning shifts over time from its original meaning. Such changes can include a narrowing or widening of scope or a change of connotation (amelioration or pejoration). In some cases, modern usage can shift to the point where the new meaning has no evident connection to its etymon.

Antisemitism

The term antisemitism refers to anti-Jewish beliefs and practices. It replaced the earlier term Jew-hatred. The etymological fallacy arises when a speaker asserts its meaning is the one implied by the structure of the word—racism against any of the Semitic peoples.

References

^ Sihler, Andrew (2000). Language History. Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science. Series IV, Current issues in linguistic theory. Vol. 191. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing. pp. 131–133. ISBN 90-272-3698-4.
Wilson, Kenneth G. (1993). "Etymological Fallacy". The Columbia Guide to Standard American English.
Lipstadt (2019), pp. 22–25.
Johnson, Paul (1987). A History of the Jews. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. p. 133. ISBN 978-0-06-091533-9.
Lewis, Bernard. "Semites and Anti-Semites". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2018.. Extract from Islam in History: Ideas, Men and Events in the Middle East, The Library Press, 1973.Lewis, Bernard (Winter 2006). "The New Anti-Semitism". The American Scholar. 75 (1): 25–36. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017.
Lipstadt, Deborah (2019). Antisemitism: Here and Now. Schocken Books. ISBN 978-0-80524337-6.
Starr, Michael (2022-02-04). "Encyclopedia Britannica: Semitic people can't be called antisemitic". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2023-11-15.

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