Re: Making it volitional

----- Original Message -----
From: John Cowan <cowan@...>
To: <CONLANG@...>
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2001 11:38 PM
Subject: Re: Making it volitional


>  This is the origin of "ignorant" as a
> pejorative: "You low-down ignorant son-of-a-bitch", e.g.
> There would be no point in condemning people for
> unintentional lack of knowledge.
PS.  Actually, John, I think the origin of "ignorant" as a pejorative
relates to literacy.  An "ignorant" person is unread.  Compare
earlier English distinctions between the "lerned" and the "lewed."
The "learned" were those who read and wrote Latin, and therefore
raised themself above the commoners, who were "lewed," "ignorant"
of letters and learning.  Interestingly, the term "lewed" came to mean
"rough," "rustic," and eventually "sexually rude."  I suspect the same
history pertains to our word "ignorant."  It would be interesting to
consult the OED, which is at school, and I'm at home.

Sally