Cynthia's Revels.
[§ 418]. On certain words wherein the fact of their being compound is obscured.—Composition is the addition of a word to a word, derivation is the addition of letters or syllables to a word. In a compound form each element has a separate and independent existence; in a derived form, only one of the elements has such. Now it is very possible that in an older stage of a language two words may exist, may be put together, and may so form a compound; at the time in point each word having a separate and independent existence: whilst, in a later stage of language, only one of these words may have a separate and independent existence, the other having become obsolete. In this case a compound word would take the appearance of a derived one, since but one of its elements could be exhibited as a separate and independent word. Such is the case with, amongst others, the word bishopric. In the present language the word ric has no separate and independent existence. For all this, the word
is a true compound, since, in Anglo-Saxon, we have the noun ríce as a separate, independent word, signifying kingdom or domain.
Again, without becoming obsolete, a word may alter its form. This is the case with most of our adjectives in -ly. At present they appear derivative; their termination -ly having no separate and independent existence. The older language, however, shows that they are compounds; since -ly is nothing else than -lic, Anglo-Saxon; -lih, Old High German; -leiks, Mœso-Gothic;=like, or similis, and equally with it an independent separate word.
For the following words a separate independent root is presumed rather than shown. It is presumed, however, on grounds that satisfy the etymologist.
Mis-, as in misdeed, &c.—Mœso-Gothic, missô=in turns; Old Norse, â mis=alternately; Middle High German, misse=mistake. The original notion alternation, thence change, thence defect. Compare the Greek ἄλλως.—Grimm, Deutsche Grammatik, ii. 470.
Dom, as in wisdom, &c.—The substantive dôm presumed.—Deutsche Grammatik, ii. 491.
Hood and head, as in Godhead, manhood, &c.—The substantive háids=person, order, kind, presumed.—Deutsche Grammatik, ii. 497. Nothing to do with the word head.
Ship, as in friendship.—Anglo-Saxon, -scipe and -sceäft; German, -schaft; Mœso-Gothic, gaskafts=a creature, or creation. The substantive skafts or skap presumed. The -skip or -scape in landskip is only an older form.—Deutsche Grammatik, ii. 522.
Less, as in sleepless, &c., has nothing to do with less. Derived from láus, lôs, destitute of=Latin, expers.—Deutsche Grammatik, ii. 565.