Friday, August 09, 2013

Ling-a-ling-ling

I was reading an article that was posted to my FB wall the other day on the use of the noun ending "ling" as in gosling. Apparently adding the "ling" ending to a phrase to create a noun, began as far back as old English with words such as, frumberdling - a teenager with peach fuzz for a beard. I think that peachling is also a possibility - probably better than filthyroomling :)

 Help, Blogger just changed my peachling to poachling - who would have thought - now we have the word roachling - these are the small (maybe) insects that reside in a peachling's bedlings or something like that :) Oh good godling!!

Wharflings

The use of the ending then morphed in middle English to suggest smallness as in suckling, duckling and toadling - toadling? Adding this "ling" ending also began to take on a derogative connotation as in underling, weakling and shaveling - a monk that presumably you didn't like. Given the presence of the church in middle England - not to be confused with middle earth - we could also have churchling, popeling, saintling and Lutherling - presumably one who objected to the established churchlings.

Recently, though the practice has lost most of its negative side and has become just a cute expression. I wonder, though if anyone has thought to add it to the "lings" who interact on the internet - maybe interactling and bloggerling  -  too cumbersome? How about tumblrling or flickrling - maybe a little too zoo-y. Now linkedinling has possibilities, as does googleling - not the same, though, as "Here we go a googling." Now, I think that I could love a nerdling and maybe there would be homes for weblings. Those who have vision could be sitelings and I'm not sure what an URLling would be but it might be right up there with alienlings. Maybe it's time to come back to earth!!

I know there is a Panda named Ling Ling, however, I have never heard of a Pandaling.  The zoolings in Toronto have brought a few in, so that the peoplelings can have a outing. Maybe I've had too many winelings and need to say good nightling.

Hope you have a great day-ling !!!


1 comment:

  1. It all sounds over-complicated to me. I think I'll stick to proper English. Maybe I'll slip in a little 'petling' every once and again. Visiting from Blogger's corner. http://475035832790540880.weebly.com/blog.html

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