The Unwords of Unworld

[doug]

The world of un- is a Mudville, a burg chock-full of the has-been and the never-was. [D.R.H.]

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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.etymonline.com/columns/post/the-unwords-of-unworld

[mike2 (Mike)]

Not having access to your revered volume of the OED I am unable(!) to look up the entry for ‘unionize’.
I like to think that if a workforce were to unionize, then disaffiliate, they would ununionize.

[doug]

ununiversal, etc.; formally fitting but etymologically un- + uni-, which belongs elsewhere.

[Chiron]

Sorry but the temptation is too strong to resist: is a ununicorn just a plain horse?

[doug]

it would be ununique. But an onionicorn would be a horse of another.

[doug]

somehow, some miserable way, I just knew everyone would fall down the sidetrack rabbit hole under the aside about un-un-.

[ianspringham]

As an ESL teacher, I find this text fascinating as it explores one of the most challenging aspects of English for language learners: the prefix “un-” and its complex usage patterns. Here are some key teaching observations:

1. Teaching Challenges:

• Students often oversimplify “un-” as just meaning “not” or “opposite of,” but this text beautifully illustrates how much more complex it is
• The dual nature of “un-” (reversing actions vs. describing impossibility) is particularly tricky for learners to grasp
• Many students try to create their own “un-” words incorrectly, not realizing that not all words can take this prefix

2. Interesting Teaching Points:

• The text provides excellent examples of confusing pairs like “unstoppable” vs. “unstopped” that often trip up learners
• The historical examples (like “unpraying” and “unsainted”) help explain why some seemingly illogical “un-” words exist in modern English
• The subtle distinction between “sad” and “unglad” is perfect for advanced learners studying nuance in English

3. Classroom Applications:

• The text’s playful examples like “unfat” could make for engaging exercises where students discuss which “un-” constructions work and which don’t
• The discussion of double negatives (like “unloose”) could help address common learner mistakes
• The historical perspective could help students understand why English sometimes seems inconsistent

4. Common Student Mistakes This Addresses:

• Trying to add “un-” to every adjective (*unrich instead of poor)
• Confusing similar-looking “un-” words with different meanings
• Not recognizing words like “uncle” where “un-” isn’t actually a prefix

[sam.hranac]

The entire discussion is unconceivable.

[Paulus]

The negating sense and etymology is primary, the reversal sense is of a different etymology, which complicates matters; and that primary sense comes, no doubt, from “ne”, as in Russian, where “ne” can attach to everything without any of the aforementioned difficulties: to nouns, verbs, adverbs, even prepositions, as in ne-do.

The second sense, of reversal, adds to the plethora of English homonyms - the very trait that forced me to explore the language’s etymologies and fall in love with your beautiful dictionary.