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Re: Heath
in reply to a message by Manda
"Heath " means exactly what it is: "heath". If you want a dictionary definition as to what "heath" is...1. A tract of open and uncultivated land; wasteland overgrown with shrubs.2. Any of various low-growing shrubs of the genera *Erica * or *Calluna*, as heather, common on such land.-- Nanaea
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Moo!The Oxfort English Dictionary suggests Heath ultimately originates from the Latin "bucetum" which, in turn, is derived from the "bucolic" meaning "related to cow pastures".
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Moo! Mooth! Hooth?Just curious, but how the heck does one get "heath" out of "bucetum"? :)-- Nanaea
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The same way one gets "cow patty" out of "shoe sole" (speaking of "bucolic")
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LOL!!!!...by a loooong stretch of etymologocal license!
Here's the OED approach:
Bu-cetum (Latin)=> kait- (teutonic root) => haihi (Goth) => haide (Middle German ) => haeacu (Old English) => heath (English)....maybe our OED editor got his inspiration by ingesting Creutzfeld-Jacobs-laced kidney pudding...
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LOL!
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