I've read about phonesthemes, but even that doesn't seem to answer much. Does anyone here have any theories as to why all these words start with gl- but seem to be otherwise etymologically distinct?
All of these words originate from Old English, where the prefix 'gl-' appears to have been a form of visual-onomatopoeia, in allusion to the fleeting reflection of light seen by the eye. The words 'glim' and 'glimpse' are part of the same etymological group and relate to illuminating and viewing things.
The word 'glim' had many and various meanings in Old English, but has now fallen from use, largely because the lexicon has grown and diversified. Thus, we now have a group of distinct but related words.
Asked: 2018-12-16 19:23:05 -0500
Seen: 2,974 times
Last updated: Jan 29 '19
(C) 2015 by The LINGUIST List and Contributors