Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2024 September 24

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September 24

Capricious

Wiktionary says this is from a meaning of curly-haired. But a fitting conception of goatishness could have led to a direct borrowing from Latin capra / caprinus at any time. Surely cultural conceptions of goats have more influence on the language than some narrow hair stereotype? Temerarius (talk) 02:52, 24 September 2024 (UTC)

That's one theory. Here's EO's take on it:[1][2] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 05:59, 24 September 2024 (UTC)

One's hair curling from fear, an etymological theory mentioned in Pianigiani's Vocabolario Etimologico della Lingua Italiana,^[3] is not a stereotype. Yet another theory mentioned there relates the term to the Latin verb caperāre, "to wrinkle".  --Lambiam 12:03, 24 September 2024 (UTC)

Imagine you'd never heard "capricious" before, and you hear it now. First guess would be "goatish," right? That'd be the case for everyone, everywhere, except that little slice of Italian history.

Temerarius (talk) 02:10, 27 September 2024 (UTC)

Or you might think of the Isle of Capri, which may have the same etymology anyway. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:25, 27 September 2024 (UTC)

Or someone might think of a Capricorn, said to be pragmatic, organized, risk-averse and afraid of failure.^[4]  --Lambiam 08:24, 27 September 2024 (UTC)

"Capricious" is from "caprice," which derives from French "caprice," which derives from Italian "capriccio," a sudden start or motion or a sudden shiver of horror. The derivation of "capriccio" is disputed. The OED says it is "apparently < capro goat, as if 'the skip or frisk of a goat.'" However, Merriam-Webster says it "likely comes from the Italian capo, meaning “head,” and riccio, the word for “hedgehog.” The implication was that someone who shuddered in fear or horror was said to have a “hedgehog head,” meaning that the person’s hair stood on end like the spines of a hedgehog. The link between a whim and a shiver of horror is notably tenuous, though, and a possible link to Italian capra, meaning “goat,” has also been suggested, given the whimsy goats seem to employ in their gamboling." John M Baker (talk) 17:14, 27 September 2024 (UTC)

And there was me thinking that it referred to the impulsive, changeable and/or perverse behaviour of residents of Capri. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.105} 94.6.86.81 (talk) 13:43, 29 September 2024 (UTC)