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prettygoodwordmarotte - n., a single-rod puppet without controls for the arms and legs; originally, a jester's baton or stick topped with a head in cap-and-bells.
This was a recent OED word of the day, and for the origin I can do no better than to quote: " < French marotte object of a ridiculous and exaggerated affection (1639), foolish idea (1618), jester's baton bearing a head with multicoloured belled cap (c1470 in Middle French), image of the Virgin Mary (1468 in Middle French) < Marie, the name of the Virgin Mary (see MARY n.1) + -ot -OT (cf. MARIONETTE n.). The semantic development in Middle French from 'image of the Virgin Mary' to 'jester's baton' is surprising, and cannot be explained with any certainty: it may take as its starting point the use of the word in the context of mystery plays, thence being transferred to puppet theatre and to the puppets themselves (cf. MARIONETTE n.); the term may thus have come to be used for the puppet head on a fool's sceptre. However, this explanation cannot be accepted with any certainty."
---L.
This was a recent OED word of the day, and for the origin I can do no better than to quote: " < French marotte object of a ridiculous and exaggerated affection (1639), foolish idea (1618), jester's baton bearing a head with multicoloured belled cap (c1470 in Middle French), image of the Virgin Mary (1468 in Middle French) < Marie, the name of the Virgin Mary (see MARY n.1) + -ot -OT (cf. MARIONETTE n.). The semantic development in Middle French from 'image of the Virgin Mary' to 'jester's baton' is surprising, and cannot be explained with any certainty: it may take as its starting point the use of the word in the context of mystery plays, thence being transferred to puppet theatre and to the puppets themselves (cf. MARIONETTE n.); the term may thus have come to be used for the puppet head on a fool's sceptre. However, this explanation cannot be accepted with any certainty."
---L.
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Date: 2005-11-10 02:43 pm (UTC)