One thing that quite frequently leaves me very disappointed, although this
may be a bit off topic, is when an etymology is given for a word in a
dictionary (either standard or etymological) and the etymology terminates at
Old English. Now I am no authority on Old English, but I was under the
impression that no word can just begin in Old English seeing that the
language was formed from German, Norse, French, Latin, or Celtic. I assume
that people living in Anglo-Saxon Enlgand didn't just go walking around
making up names for things. I assume the words were passed down from
another language. Usually the etymology says "from Middle English . . .
from Old English." Perhaps the etymologist just leaves it there meaning
that the word comes from the Anglo-Saxons bring it from Northern Europe. Am
I right or am I way off?
-William
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