One of Dr. Whom's axioms is Etymology ≠ meaning. Is a cupboard a board where you keep your cups? In government, does a magistrate (< Latin 'more') outrank a minister (< Latin 'less')? Is an airplane an automobile (< Greek 'self' + Latin 'moving')?
Yes, δούλη meant 'female slave' in Ancient Greek, and "húsbóndi" meant 'occupier and tiller of the soil' in Old Norse. Neither of these is anything like the meanings of these words' Modern English descendants, "doula" and "husband".
If the meaning of δούλη haunts the word "doula" for you, I sympathize, but I can't support abandoning the modern word. By that principle, we'd have to change most of our vocabulary, because every word has bad associations for someone... and then we'd have to do it all over again, and again... ad infinitum, because there'd be no end to it.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2015-06-12 05:31 pm (UTC)Yes, δούλη meant 'female slave' in Ancient Greek, and "húsbóndi" meant 'occupier and tiller of the soil' in Old Norse. Neither of these is anything like the meanings of these words' Modern English descendants, "doula" and "husband".
If the meaning of δούλη haunts the word "doula" for you, I sympathize, but I can't support abandoning the modern word. By that principle, we'd have to change most of our vocabulary, because every word has bad associations for someone... and then we'd have to do it all over again, and again... ad infinitum, because there'd be no end to it.