[meteorite-list] OT: Searching for the correct terminology

From: bernd.pauli at paulinet.de <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: 11 Sep 2009 22:40:32 UT
Message-ID: <DIIE.0000005D00004019_at_paulinet.de>

Sterling wrote:

"Oddly enough in earlier English...I have seen several instances
 of "to-torn" used to mean not just "torn" but "ripped to shreds."

Here's an excerpt from the 5th century writer Paulus Orosius concerning
the sack of Rome by the Goths in 410. The translator may even have been
King Alfred: "...ond ealda ceastra ond ealde byrig *towurpon*, ..."

.. and they *completely* destroyed old castles (fortresses) and old cities (towns), ...

"weorpan" is the German word "werfen" (= throw). The prefix "to" intensifies
the meaning of the word (see Sterling's comment above!). They did not only
"overthrow" the fortresses and towns, they left complete devestation!

As both English and German are Germanic or Teutonic languages, you find lots
of these "phrasal verbs" in both languages! Maybe some of the "older" List members
remember my post: The Aweful German Language (by Mark Twain!).

Best wishes,

Bernd
Received on Fri 11 Sep 2009 06:40:32 PM PDT