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#3712. 英語の間投詞 (2)[interjection][exclamation]

2019-06-26

 「#3689. 英語の間投詞」 ([2019-06-03-1]) に引き続いての話題.The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories の p. 554 に,"Natural exclamations" と題するボキャビル欄がある.主要な英語の間投詞 (interjection) が初出時代や起源の記述とともに列挙されているものだが,現代も含め各時代に次々と新しい間投詞が生まれているものなのだなあと発見でき,なかなかおもしろい.

InterjectionFirst AttestationUsage
awmid 19th century in American Englishexpressing mild protest
faughmid 16th centuryexpressing disgust
heyMiddle Englishsaid in attracting attention
hilate Middle Englishsaid in greeting
hoMiddle Englishexpressing surprise or derision
hootsearly 19th century, but mid 16th century as hootexpressing impatience
hoylate Middle Englishsaid to attract attention
loOld English as said to indicate an amazing event.
ohMiddle Englishexpressing entreaty or mild surprise
oofmid 19th centuryexpressing alarm or annoyance
oohearly 20th centuryexpressing delight or pain
oops1930ssaid on making an error
ouchmid 17th centuryexpressing pain
owmid 19th centuryexpressing pain
poohlate 16th centuryexpressing disgust
pshawlate 17th centuryexpressing impatience or contempt
shoolate Middle Englishsaid to frighten off the hearer
whee1920sexpressing delight
whishtmid 16th centurysaid to hush the hearer
whooearly 17th centuryexpressing surprise or delight
wowearly 16th centuryexpressing admiration
yahearly 17th centuryexpressing derision
yahoo1970sexpressing excitement
yeehaw1970s in American Englishexpressing exuberance
yeow1920s in American Englishexpressing shock
yippee1920s in American Englishexpressing wild excitement
yolate Middle Englishsaid in greeting
yoo-hoo1920ssaid to attract attention
zowieearly 20th century in American Englishexpressing astonishment


 oops, ouch, pooh, wow など,よく知られているものでも,近代英語以降の初出と,意外に遅いことに気づく.間投詞が開かれた語類であることを再認識できた.

 ・ Chantrell, Glynnis, ed. The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories. Oxford: OUP, 2002.

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