etymology of looksie / look-see
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Up until recently, I had believed there was a word "looksie" which meant "a quick/brief look", "a peek".
This seemed quite logical:
- "a look" is a common noun.
- "-sie" is a known diminutive suffix.
Thus, a look-sie would be a small look. On the contrary, results in dictionaries say the word is look-see, compounding the words "look" and "see". This construction does not make sense to me. Why would you combine "look" and "see"? You wouldn't have a "listen-hear".
etymology
asked May 27 at 15:27
SamSam
1265 bronze badges
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show 1 more comment
Up until recently, I had believed there was a word "looksie" which meant "a quick/brief look", "a peek".
This seemed quite logical:
- "a look" is a common noun.
- "-sie" is a known diminutive suffix.
Thus, a look-sie would be a small look. On the contrary, results in dictionaries say the word is look-see, compounding the words "look" and "see". This construction does not make sense to me. Why would you combine "look" and "see"? You wouldn't have a "listen-hear".
etymology
asked May 27 at 15:27
SamSam
1265 bronze badges
1
FWIW, "let's look and see..." is a pretty common phrase, and "let's listen and hear [what someone has to say, for example]" is maybe less common but still not unusual at all. The first one might just seem more pleasing to the ear when shortened.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:03
@ThePhoton ,well, not sure about that. If it's shortened "let's look and see..." -> "let's looksee..." -.> "looksee at this." That's not right because the word under discussion is supposed to be a noun, not a verb
– Sam
May 27 at 16:11
For some people, it's always been look-see; for others, it's like the way you had it analyzed. Still others never hear it in speech and therefore never have to make up a spelling for it. There isn't any Officially Correct Analysis, since everybody makes it up for themself.
– John Lawler
May 27 at 16:16
Sounds like something that might well be like ‘long time no see’, a somewhat unnatural translation of a Chinese phrase that’s taken on a life of its own in English. Though in this case, the obvious Chinese equivalent to looksie/look-see is 看见 (‘look see’) which just means ‘see (successfully)’; 看看 (‘look look’) would match the English phrase better, but a reduplicated form would be less likely to be translated with two different words…
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:22
"Look-see" has been idiomatic since I was a small child, and that was a long time ago. It's obviously just a combo of "look" and "see". It does imply a relatively brief look, but that was not the reason for "see". The use of "-sie" to indicate a diminutive, while not new, did not gain popularity outside of bed apparel until perhaps the late 60s.
– Hot Licks
May 27 at 17:47
|
show 1 more comment
Up until recently, I had believed there was a word "looksie" which meant "a quick/brief look", "a peek".
This seemed quite logical:
- "a look" is a common noun.
- "-sie" is a known diminutive suffix.
Thus, a look-sie would be a small look. On the contrary, results in dictionaries say the word is look-see, compounding the words "look" and "see". This construction does not make sense to me. Why would you combine "look" and "see"? You wouldn't have a "listen-hear".
etymology
asked May 27 at 15:27
SamSam
1265 bronze badges
Up until recently, I had believed there was a word "looksie" which meant "a quick/brief look", "a peek".
This seemed quite logical:
- "a look" is a common noun.
- "-sie" is a known diminutive suffix.
Thus, a look-sie would be a small look. On the contrary, results in dictionaries say the word is look-see, compounding the words "look" and "see". This construction does not make sense to me. Why would you combine "look" and "see"? You wouldn't have a "listen-hear".
etymology
etymology
asked May 27 at 15:27
SamSam
1265 bronze badges
asked May 27 at 15:27
SamSam
1265 bronze badges
asked May 27 at 15:27
SamSam
1265 bronze badges
asked May 27 at 15:27
SamSam
1265 bronze badges
asked May 27 at 15:27
SamSam
1265 bronze badges
1265 bronze badges
1
FWIW, "let's look and see..." is a pretty common phrase, and "let's listen and hear [what someone has to say, for example]" is maybe less common but still not unusual at all. The first one might just seem more pleasing to the ear when shortened.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:03
@ThePhoton ,well, not sure about that. If it's shortened "let's look and see..." -> "let's looksee..." -.> "looksee at this." That's not right because the word under discussion is supposed to be a noun, not a verb
– Sam
May 27 at 16:11
For some people, it's always been look-see; for others, it's like the way you had it analyzed. Still others never hear it in speech and therefore never have to make up a spelling for it. There isn't any Officially Correct Analysis, since everybody makes it up for themself.
– John Lawler
May 27 at 16:16
Sounds like something that might well be like ‘long time no see’, a somewhat unnatural translation of a Chinese phrase that’s taken on a life of its own in English. Though in this case, the obvious Chinese equivalent to looksie/look-see is 看见 (‘look see’) which just means ‘see (successfully)’; 看看 (‘look look’) would match the English phrase better, but a reduplicated form would be less likely to be translated with two different words…
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:22
"Look-see" has been idiomatic since I was a small child, and that was a long time ago. It's obviously just a combo of "look" and "see". It does imply a relatively brief look, but that was not the reason for "see". The use of "-sie" to indicate a diminutive, while not new, did not gain popularity outside of bed apparel until perhaps the late 60s.
– Hot Licks
May 27 at 17:47
|
show 1 more comment
1
FWIW, "let's look and see..." is a pretty common phrase, and "let's listen and hear [what someone has to say, for example]" is maybe less common but still not unusual at all. The first one might just seem more pleasing to the ear when shortened.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:03
@ThePhoton ,well, not sure about that. If it's shortened "let's look and see..." -> "let's looksee..." -.> "looksee at this." That's not right because the word under discussion is supposed to be a noun, not a verb
– Sam
May 27 at 16:11
For some people, it's always been look-see; for others, it's like the way you had it analyzed. Still others never hear it in speech and therefore never have to make up a spelling for it. There isn't any Officially Correct Analysis, since everybody makes it up for themself.
– John Lawler
May 27 at 16:16
Sounds like something that might well be like ‘long time no see’, a somewhat unnatural translation of a Chinese phrase that’s taken on a life of its own in English. Though in this case, the obvious Chinese equivalent to looksie/look-see is 看见 (‘look see’) which just means ‘see (successfully)’; 看看 (‘look look’) would match the English phrase better, but a reduplicated form would be less likely to be translated with two different words…
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:22
"Look-see" has been idiomatic since I was a small child, and that was a long time ago. It's obviously just a combo of "look" and "see". It does imply a relatively brief look, but that was not the reason for "see". The use of "-sie" to indicate a diminutive, while not new, did not gain popularity outside of bed apparel until perhaps the late 60s.
– Hot Licks
May 27 at 17:47
1
1
FWIW, "let's look and see..." is a pretty common phrase, and "let's listen and hear [what someone has to say, for example]" is maybe less common but still not unusual at all. The first one might just seem more pleasing to the ear when shortened.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:03
FWIW, "let's look and see..." is a pretty common phrase, and "let's listen and hear [what someone has to say, for example]" is maybe less common but still not unusual at all. The first one might just seem more pleasing to the ear when shortened.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:03
@ThePhoton ,well, not sure about that. If it's shortened "let's look and see..." -> "let's looksee..." -.> "looksee at this." That's not right because the word under discussion is supposed to be a noun, not a verb
– Sam
May 27 at 16:11
@ThePhoton ,well, not sure about that. If it's shortened "let's look and see..." -> "let's looksee..." -.> "looksee at this." That's not right because the word under discussion is supposed to be a noun, not a verb
– Sam
May 27 at 16:11
For some people, it's always been look-see; for others, it's like the way you had it analyzed. Still others never hear it in speech and therefore never have to make up a spelling for it. There isn't any Officially Correct Analysis, since everybody makes it up for themself.
– John Lawler
May 27 at 16:16
For some people, it's always been look-see; for others, it's like the way you had it analyzed. Still others never hear it in speech and therefore never have to make up a spelling for it. There isn't any Officially Correct Analysis, since everybody makes it up for themself.
– John Lawler
May 27 at 16:16
Sounds like something that might well be like ‘long time no see’, a somewhat unnatural translation of a Chinese phrase that’s taken on a life of its own in English. Though in this case, the obvious Chinese equivalent to looksie/look-see is 看见 (‘look see’) which just means ‘see (successfully)’; 看看 (‘look look’) would match the English phrase better, but a reduplicated form would be less likely to be translated with two different words…
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:22
Sounds like something that might well be like ‘long time no see’, a somewhat unnatural translation of a Chinese phrase that’s taken on a life of its own in English. Though in this case, the obvious Chinese equivalent to looksie/look-see is 看见 (‘look see’) which just means ‘see (successfully)’; 看看 (‘look look’) would match the English phrase better, but a reduplicated form would be less likely to be translated with two different words…
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:22
"Look-see" has been idiomatic since I was a small child, and that was a long time ago. It's obviously just a combo of "look" and "see". It does imply a relatively brief look, but that was not the reason for "see". The use of "-sie" to indicate a diminutive, while not new, did not gain popularity outside of bed apparel until perhaps the late 60s.
– Hot Licks
May 27 at 17:47
"Look-see" has been idiomatic since I was a small child, and that was a long time ago. It's obviously just a combo of "look" and "see". It does imply a relatively brief look, but that was not the reason for "see". The use of "-sie" to indicate a diminutive, while not new, did not gain popularity outside of bed apparel until perhaps the late 60s.
– Hot Licks
May 27 at 17:47
|
show 1 more comment
1 Answer
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look-see (n.) etymonline.com
"inspection," 1865, "Pidgin-like formation" [OED], first used in
representations of English as spoken by Chinese, from look (v.) + see
(v.).
From the OED 1867
transitive v. To inspect, examine, look at (something). Chiefly with
indirect question as object: to see, find out, ascertain (how, if,
etc.).
and as a colloq. noun:
colloquial.
- A (quick) inspection or examination; a survey; a reconnaissance.In early use in representations or imitations of Chinese Pidgin English.
As in:
2006 J. Dibbell Play Money xiii. 91 The only human intervention
required was a quick daily look-see at how the gold was growing.
answered May 27 at 16:20
lbflbf
27.1k2 gold badges31 silver badges86 bronze badges
Oh – so I guess my comment above wasn’t completely off after all, and it is really parallel to ‘long time no see’. How quaint!
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:23
It's worth addng that "resultative complement" constructions like look-see (看见), and listen-hear (听到) are very common in Chinese.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:34
"resultative complement" - very interesting!
– Sam
May 27 at 16:57
@Sam That’s what they’re usually called in Chinese grammar. It’s a construction that doesn’t really exist in English. The odd thing about this one is that the English translation doesn’t match the Chinese resultative complement construction. 看见 ‘look see’ doesn’t mean the same thing as English look-see at all – it means ‘look, and as a result successfully see’ (i.e., it pretty much just means ‘see’).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 17:08
add a comment
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look-see (n.) etymonline.com
"inspection," 1865, "Pidgin-like formation" [OED], first used in
representations of English as spoken by Chinese, from look (v.) + see
(v.).
From the OED 1867
transitive v. To inspect, examine, look at (something). Chiefly with
indirect question as object: to see, find out, ascertain (how, if,
etc.).
and as a colloq. noun:
colloquial.
- A (quick) inspection or examination; a survey; a reconnaissance.In early use in representations or imitations of Chinese Pidgin English.
As in:
2006 J. Dibbell Play Money xiii. 91 The only human intervention
required was a quick daily look-see at how the gold was growing.
answered May 27 at 16:20
lbflbf
27.1k2 gold badges31 silver badges86 bronze badges
Oh – so I guess my comment above wasn’t completely off after all, and it is really parallel to ‘long time no see’. How quaint!
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:23
It's worth addng that "resultative complement" constructions like look-see (看见), and listen-hear (听到) are very common in Chinese.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:34
"resultative complement" - very interesting!
– Sam
May 27 at 16:57
@Sam That’s what they’re usually called in Chinese grammar. It’s a construction that doesn’t really exist in English. The odd thing about this one is that the English translation doesn’t match the Chinese resultative complement construction. 看见 ‘look see’ doesn’t mean the same thing as English look-see at all – it means ‘look, and as a result successfully see’ (i.e., it pretty much just means ‘see’).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 17:08
add a comment
|
look-see (n.) etymonline.com
"inspection," 1865, "Pidgin-like formation" [OED], first used in
representations of English as spoken by Chinese, from look (v.) + see
(v.).
From the OED 1867
transitive v. To inspect, examine, look at (something). Chiefly with
indirect question as object: to see, find out, ascertain (how, if,
etc.).
and as a colloq. noun:
colloquial.
- A (quick) inspection or examination; a survey; a reconnaissance.In early use in representations or imitations of Chinese Pidgin English.
As in:
2006 J. Dibbell Play Money xiii. 91 The only human intervention
required was a quick daily look-see at how the gold was growing.
answered May 27 at 16:20
lbflbf
27.1k2 gold badges31 silver badges86 bronze badges
Oh – so I guess my comment above wasn’t completely off after all, and it is really parallel to ‘long time no see’. How quaint!
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:23
It's worth addng that "resultative complement" constructions like look-see (看见), and listen-hear (听到) are very common in Chinese.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:34
"resultative complement" - very interesting!
– Sam
May 27 at 16:57
@Sam That’s what they’re usually called in Chinese grammar. It’s a construction that doesn’t really exist in English. The odd thing about this one is that the English translation doesn’t match the Chinese resultative complement construction. 看见 ‘look see’ doesn’t mean the same thing as English look-see at all – it means ‘look, and as a result successfully see’ (i.e., it pretty much just means ‘see’).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 17:08
add a comment
|
look-see (n.) etymonline.com
"inspection," 1865, "Pidgin-like formation" [OED], first used in
representations of English as spoken by Chinese, from look (v.) + see
(v.).
From the OED 1867
transitive v. To inspect, examine, look at (something). Chiefly with
indirect question as object: to see, find out, ascertain (how, if,
etc.).
and as a colloq. noun:
colloquial.
- A (quick) inspection or examination; a survey; a reconnaissance.In early use in representations or imitations of Chinese Pidgin English.
As in:
2006 J. Dibbell Play Money xiii. 91 The only human intervention
required was a quick daily look-see at how the gold was growing.
answered May 27 at 16:20
lbflbf
27.1k2 gold badges31 silver badges86 bronze badges
look-see (n.) etymonline.com
"inspection," 1865, "Pidgin-like formation" [OED], first used in
representations of English as spoken by Chinese, from look (v.) + see
(v.).
From the OED 1867
transitive v. To inspect, examine, look at (something). Chiefly with
indirect question as object: to see, find out, ascertain (how, if,
etc.).
and as a colloq. noun:
colloquial.
- A (quick) inspection or examination; a survey; a reconnaissance.In early use in representations or imitations of Chinese Pidgin English.
As in:
2006 J. Dibbell Play Money xiii. 91 The only human intervention
required was a quick daily look-see at how the gold was growing.
answered May 27 at 16:20
lbflbf
27.1k2 gold badges31 silver badges86 bronze badges
edited May 27 at 16:24
answered May 27 at 16:20
lbflbf
27.1k2 gold badges31 silver badges86 bronze badges
answered May 27 at 16:20
lbflbf
27.1k2 gold badges31 silver badges86 bronze badges
answered May 27 at 16:20
lbflbf
27.1k2 gold badges31 silver badges86 bronze badges
27.1k2 gold badges31 silver badges86 bronze badges
Oh – so I guess my comment above wasn’t completely off after all, and it is really parallel to ‘long time no see’. How quaint!
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:23
It's worth addng that "resultative complement" constructions like look-see (看见), and listen-hear (听到) are very common in Chinese.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:34
"resultative complement" - very interesting!
– Sam
May 27 at 16:57
@Sam That’s what they’re usually called in Chinese grammar. It’s a construction that doesn’t really exist in English. The odd thing about this one is that the English translation doesn’t match the Chinese resultative complement construction. 看见 ‘look see’ doesn’t mean the same thing as English look-see at all – it means ‘look, and as a result successfully see’ (i.e., it pretty much just means ‘see’).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 17:08
add a comment
|
Oh – so I guess my comment above wasn’t completely off after all, and it is really parallel to ‘long time no see’. How quaint!
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:23
It's worth addng that "resultative complement" constructions like look-see (看见), and listen-hear (听到) are very common in Chinese.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:34
"resultative complement" - very interesting!
– Sam
May 27 at 16:57
@Sam That’s what they’re usually called in Chinese grammar. It’s a construction that doesn’t really exist in English. The odd thing about this one is that the English translation doesn’t match the Chinese resultative complement construction. 看见 ‘look see’ doesn’t mean the same thing as English look-see at all – it means ‘look, and as a result successfully see’ (i.e., it pretty much just means ‘see’).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 17:08
Oh – so I guess my comment above wasn’t completely off after all, and it is really parallel to ‘long time no see’. How quaint!
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:23
Oh – so I guess my comment above wasn’t completely off after all, and it is really parallel to ‘long time no see’. How quaint!
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:23
It's worth addng that "resultative complement" constructions like look-see (看见), and listen-hear (听到) are very common in Chinese.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:34
It's worth addng that "resultative complement" constructions like look-see (看见), and listen-hear (听到) are very common in Chinese.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:34
"resultative complement" - very interesting!
– Sam
May 27 at 16:57
"resultative complement" - very interesting!
– Sam
May 27 at 16:57
@Sam That’s what they’re usually called in Chinese grammar. It’s a construction that doesn’t really exist in English. The odd thing about this one is that the English translation doesn’t match the Chinese resultative complement construction. 看见 ‘look see’ doesn’t mean the same thing as English look-see at all – it means ‘look, and as a result successfully see’ (i.e., it pretty much just means ‘see’).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 17:08
@Sam That’s what they’re usually called in Chinese grammar. It’s a construction that doesn’t really exist in English. The odd thing about this one is that the English translation doesn’t match the Chinese resultative complement construction. 看见 ‘look see’ doesn’t mean the same thing as English look-see at all – it means ‘look, and as a result successfully see’ (i.e., it pretty much just means ‘see’).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 17:08
add a comment
|
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FWIW, "let's look and see..." is a pretty common phrase, and "let's listen and hear [what someone has to say, for example]" is maybe less common but still not unusual at all. The first one might just seem more pleasing to the ear when shortened.
– The Photon
May 27 at 16:03
@ThePhoton ,well, not sure about that. If it's shortened "let's look and see..." -> "let's looksee..." -.> "looksee at this." That's not right because the word under discussion is supposed to be a noun, not a verb
– Sam
May 27 at 16:11
For some people, it's always been look-see; for others, it's like the way you had it analyzed. Still others never hear it in speech and therefore never have to make up a spelling for it. There isn't any Officially Correct Analysis, since everybody makes it up for themself.
– John Lawler
May 27 at 16:16
Sounds like something that might well be like ‘long time no see’, a somewhat unnatural translation of a Chinese phrase that’s taken on a life of its own in English. Though in this case, the obvious Chinese equivalent to looksie/look-see is 看见 (‘look see’) which just means ‘see (successfully)’; 看看 (‘look look’) would match the English phrase better, but a reduplicated form would be less likely to be translated with two different words…
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
May 27 at 16:22
"Look-see" has been idiomatic since I was a small child, and that was a long time ago. It's obviously just a combo of "look" and "see". It does imply a relatively brief look, but that was not the reason for "see". The use of "-sie" to indicate a diminutive, while not new, did not gain popularity outside of bed apparel until perhaps the late 60s.
– Hot Licks
May 27 at 17:47