Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2022 March 10

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March 10

Giuseppe

I have just reverted an IP edit to the lede of Giuseppe, an uncited derivation.

Giuseppe is the Italian form of the given name Joseph. The name also originates from the Greek Word Zepos (god) and Jopos (above), giving it the meaning of Above God. (my italics)

Someone with greater knowledge than me might give it some context as it's clearly well intentioned. Doug butler (talk) 20:48, 10 March 2022 (UTC)

Here's EO's take on it.[1] No corroboration of the uncited claim which you removed. --←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:25, 10 March 2022 (UTC)

And by the way, the Greek word for "God" is Θεός, the basis of words like theology. (Maybe the IP who made that change worships Zeppo Marx.) --←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:32, 10 March 2022 (UTC)

The addition was complete and utter nonsense. The Italian name isn't derived from those words; those words don't exist in Greek in the first place, and it would be nonsensical to claim that a name "derives" from two or three sources at once anyway. Fut.Perf. ☼ 21:31, 10 March 2022 (UTC)

Well … the name Mario can be derived either from the Christian name Maria, of Semitic origin, or from the Roman name Marius, and it's generally impossible to tell which in a given instance. Likely we could find better examples of names with two origins. —Tamfang (talk) 05:29, 11 March 2022 (UTC)

Except that those two possible source names actually exist. --←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:07, 11 March 2022 (UTC)

The debunked claim is that the name is a blend, not that there are two candidates for ancestorship. It is like saying that the Italian name Mario originates from the Sanskrit Word Ryotha (excrement of a bull) and Matha (total), giving it the meaning of Total Bullshit.  --Lambiam 22:14, 11 March 2022 (UTC)

False etymologies can be fun. Like the time Jay Leno explained where the word "politics" comes from. The first part means "many", and the second part means "bloodsuckers". --←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:49, 11 March 2022 (UTC)

Or the assertion that "pro" and "con" mean opposite things, which means the opposite of "progress" is.... --Orange Mike | Talk 00:55, 13 March 2022 (UTC)

Resolved