Comments on: Liberal

By: Claire

Claire — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:32:30 +0000

I know *ma:ri from Yolngu and Warlpiri and northern Pama-Nyungan languages. The argument would need to be that the words collapsed in Kaurna. Dunno if that works sound-change-wise.

By: jangari

jangari — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:18:47 +0000

The word/phrase is marra wadli, strangely enough. So you may be onto something here. Is this a proposed proto-Pama-Nyungan thing or is it just within these Southern languages?

By: Claire

Claire — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:56:53 +0000

What’s the actual word? I ask because in addition to the widespread /maɹa/ ‘hand’ word, there’s also a fairly widespread word /maːɹa/ or /maːɹi/ meaning ‘trouble, strife, bad’ etc. Maybe the word goes back to this one, and it’s literally ‘not troublesome’.

By: Mrs. Chili

Mrs. Chili — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:15:52 +0000

All I’m coming up with is “spare the rod, spoil the child”. Sorry; I’m a lousy lexicographer.

By: jangari

jangari — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:31:01 +0000

As a matter of fact there is a little more context. A related word in another source, from the same writer incidentally, is glossed as stingy, not liberal.

A little clearer now, methinks.

By: lauredhel

lauredhel — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:18:58 +0000

Are you asking for solid historical data or for hand-waving? Like Doug, I can see the derivation clearly – either literally as a dislike of corporal punishment, or more metaphorically as a dislike of the ‘hand’ of control and regulation in general.

Is there a bit more context?

By: Doug

Doug — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:38:00 +0000

Perhaps to do with a distaste for corporal punishment (eg smacking with the hand)? That would fit with how I understand ‘liberal’ was commonly used in 1857 (no, not from my memories, but from my reading of 19th C. literature)