Wednesday 4 April 2012

I Learned A Word

Anybody remember the specific moment when you learned a new word? Not as in new to the English language, like so much computer jargon; a word that has been around forever, like 'joule', or 'fig', or 'posthumously'. Or, in my case, "Nee."
I even remember where I was when I learned this word. Just coming down off the overpass on Lagimodiere Blvd., heading north right before you hit Regent. I was young. (I remember the moment, but not how old I was.) It was dusk. We were heading home and my mom and I were playing the license plate game. You see the letters on someone's plates, you have to make a word using those three letters, in the order in which they appear. They don't have occur all together, but they do have to remain in order. For example, a plate with EDL would mean EDUCATIONAL was allowed, but not ELUCIDATE.
The car we saw had NEE. Easy. I said "Knee!". My mom said, "Or, nee." And she explained that when a woman is married and changed her name, she would be said to be First Name Married Name, NEE Maiden Name. As if a word for that actually exists.
introducing the maiden name of a married woman, 1758, from Fr. née, fem. pp. of naître "born," from L. natus, pp. of nasci "to be born" (Old L. gnasci; see genus).

1 comment:

  1. "Nee" is also a word/slang used by lots of Aboriginals around here. And by some non-aboriginals that are exposed, obviously. Anyways, it is a word used after telling a joke or saying something in a joking manner. "Hey, there is something on your chin" "No there isn't." "Nee, just jokes"

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