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Court Cantrell prefers not to
@courtcan@mastodon.social  ·  activity timestamp 4 weeks ago

Typed "I'm delighted" in a text to a friend -- and stopped short, looking at the word "delighted."

I used "delighted" to mean that I am pleased, joyful, content, happy.

But delighted. De-lighted.
Wouldn't that mean "darkened"? Illumination removed?

If "de-" indicates that "light" is removed, how does that jive with the emotions of pleased, happy, or content?

Looked up the #etymology.

And voilà.

"light" <-- leoht ( #MiddleEnglish) <-- lēoht ( #OldEnglish) <-- *leuhtą ( #ProtoGermanic)

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