The etymology of 助っ人
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Recently I came across the word 助っ人, surprised to find out its reading was "すけっと".
Does its etymology have something to do with 助ける【たすける】 and 人【ひと】? If so, why the disappearance of た, ひ, and the addition of 促音?
etymology
edited Nov 15 at 13:57
Chocolate♦
45.4k455113
asked Nov 15 at 11:26
NoNames
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add a comment |
up vote
23
down vote
favorite
Recently I came across the word 助っ人, surprised to find out its reading was "すけっと".
Does its etymology have something to do with 助ける【たすける】 and 人【ひと】? If so, why the disappearance of た, ひ, and the addition of 促音?
etymology
edited Nov 15 at 13:57
Chocolate♦
45.4k455113
asked Nov 15 at 11:26
NoNames
1414
add a comment |
up vote
23
down vote
favorite
up vote
23
down vote
favorite
Recently I came across the word 助っ人, surprised to find out its reading was "すけっと".
Does its etymology have something to do with 助ける【たすける】 and 人【ひと】? If so, why the disappearance of た, ひ, and the addition of 促音?
etymology
edited Nov 15 at 13:57
Chocolate♦
45.4k455113
asked Nov 15 at 11:26
NoNames
1414
Recently I came across the word 助っ人, surprised to find out its reading was "すけっと".
Does its etymology have something to do with 助ける【たすける】 and 人【ひと】? If so, why the disappearance of た, ひ, and the addition of 促音?
etymology
etymology
edited Nov 15 at 13:57
Chocolate♦
45.4k455113
asked Nov 15 at 11:26
NoNames
1414
edited Nov 15 at 13:57
Chocolate♦
45.4k455113
asked Nov 15 at 11:26
NoNames
1414
edited Nov 15 at 13:57
Chocolate♦
45.4k455113
edited Nov 15 at 13:57
Chocolate♦
45.4k455113
edited Nov 15 at 13:57
Chocolate♦
45.4k455113
45.4k455113
asked Nov 15 at 11:26
NoNames
1414
asked Nov 15 at 11:26
NoNames
1414
asked Nov 15 at 11:26
NoNames
1414
1414
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
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Yes, it is 助【すけ】 + 人【ひと】.
助【すけ】 is an obsolete word that means "help; assistance". The currently used verb 助ける is composed of た "hand" + すく "assist".
Noun + 人 was a very productive way to coin a word that roughly means "-er" or "who is —" throughout older times in Japanese. Many of those words are still surviving in contracted form today, mostly ending in -うと or -うど, but very few of them have -っと rendering.
- 助っ人 < 助 + 人
- 夫【おっと】 "husband" < 男【を】 + 人 "who is (my) man"
- 盗人【ぬすっと】 (pre-modern) "thief" < 盗【ぬす】み "steal" + 人
Compare:
- 弟【おとうと】 "younger brother" < 乙【おと】 "junior" + 人
- 妹【いもうと】 "younger sister" < 妹【いも】 "intimate woman" + 人
- 素人【しろうと】 "amateur" < 白【しろ】 "white" + 人
- 仲人【なこうど】 "matchmaker" < 中【なか】 "middle" + 人
- 狩人【かりうど】 "hunter" < 狩【か】り "hunt" + 人
- 若人【わこうど】 (poetic) "the youth" < 若【わか】 "young" + 人
- 商人【あきんど】 (old-fashioned) "trader" < 商【あき】 "trade" + 人
PS
Further reading: 人：difference between ひと and -うと
answered Nov 15 at 16:04
broccoli forest
29.3k13795
3
knew about some of these, but learned some new things! I had never made the mental connection between the うと of 弟 or 妹 and the kanji 人 before. Cool.
– ericfromabeno
Nov 15 at 17:07
1
It's worth noting that, while 助「すけ」 seems to be obsolete in modern vocabulary, it is still present in some names. For example, my name ends in 之助「のすけ」.
– James
Nov 16 at 9:06
So am I correct in thinking that the たす reading of 助 is somehow formed by adding た to the front of the verb すける? Is た a productive morpheme I do not yet know?
– Wilson
Nov 16 at 9:36
@ericfromabeno Incidentally, おとうと originally meant younger siblings regardless of gender and いもうと your lover.
– user4092
Nov 16 at 13:35
1
@Wilson It's actually the same word with 手 in very old compounds. Look into Old Japanese phonology if you're interested japanese.stackexchange.com/q/9331/7810
– broccoli forest
Nov 16 at 15:58
add a comment |
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Yes, it is 助【すけ】 + 人【ひと】.
助【すけ】 is an obsolete word that means "help; assistance". The currently used verb 助ける is composed of た "hand" + すく "assist".
Noun + 人 was a very productive way to coin a word that roughly means "-er" or "who is —" throughout older times in Japanese. Many of those words are still surviving in contracted form today, mostly ending in -うと or -うど, but very few of them have -っと rendering.
- 助っ人 < 助 + 人
- 夫【おっと】 "husband" < 男【を】 + 人 "who is (my) man"
- 盗人【ぬすっと】 (pre-modern) "thief" < 盗【ぬす】み "steal" + 人
Compare:
- 弟【おとうと】 "younger brother" < 乙【おと】 "junior" + 人
- 妹【いもうと】 "younger sister" < 妹【いも】 "intimate woman" + 人
- 素人【しろうと】 "amateur" < 白【しろ】 "white" + 人
- 仲人【なこうど】 "matchmaker" < 中【なか】 "middle" + 人
- 狩人【かりうど】 "hunter" < 狩【か】り "hunt" + 人
- 若人【わこうど】 (poetic) "the youth" < 若【わか】 "young" + 人
- 商人【あきんど】 (old-fashioned) "trader" < 商【あき】 "trade" + 人
PS
Further reading: 人：difference between ひと and -うと
answered Nov 15 at 16:04
broccoli forest
29.3k13795
3
knew about some of these, but learned some new things! I had never made the mental connection between the うと of 弟 or 妹 and the kanji 人 before. Cool.
– ericfromabeno
Nov 15 at 17:07
1
It's worth noting that, while 助「すけ」 seems to be obsolete in modern vocabulary, it is still present in some names. For example, my name ends in 之助「のすけ」.
– James
Nov 16 at 9:06
So am I correct in thinking that the たす reading of 助 is somehow formed by adding た to the front of the verb すける? Is た a productive morpheme I do not yet know?
– Wilson
Nov 16 at 9:36
@ericfromabeno Incidentally, おとうと originally meant younger siblings regardless of gender and いもうと your lover.
– user4092
Nov 16 at 13:35
1
@Wilson It's actually the same word with 手 in very old compounds. Look into Old Japanese phonology if you're interested japanese.stackexchange.com/q/9331/7810
– broccoli forest
Nov 16 at 15:58
add a comment |
up vote
25
down vote
Yes, it is 助【すけ】 + 人【ひと】.
助【すけ】 is an obsolete word that means "help; assistance". The currently used verb 助ける is composed of た "hand" + すく "assist".
Noun + 人 was a very productive way to coin a word that roughly means "-er" or "who is —" throughout older times in Japanese. Many of those words are still surviving in contracted form today, mostly ending in -うと or -うど, but very few of them have -っと rendering.
- 助っ人 < 助 + 人
- 夫【おっと】 "husband" < 男【を】 + 人 "who is (my) man"
- 盗人【ぬすっと】 (pre-modern) "thief" < 盗【ぬす】み "steal" + 人
Compare:
- 弟【おとうと】 "younger brother" < 乙【おと】 "junior" + 人
- 妹【いもうと】 "younger sister" < 妹【いも】 "intimate woman" + 人
- 素人【しろうと】 "amateur" < 白【しろ】 "white" + 人
- 仲人【なこうど】 "matchmaker" < 中【なか】 "middle" + 人
- 狩人【かりうど】 "hunter" < 狩【か】り "hunt" + 人
- 若人【わこうど】 (poetic) "the youth" < 若【わか】 "young" + 人
- 商人【あきんど】 (old-fashioned) "trader" < 商【あき】 "trade" + 人
PS
Further reading: 人：difference between ひと and -うと
answered Nov 15 at 16:04
broccoli forest
29.3k13795
3
knew about some of these, but learned some new things! I had never made the mental connection between the うと of 弟 or 妹 and the kanji 人 before. Cool.
– ericfromabeno
Nov 15 at 17:07
1
It's worth noting that, while 助「すけ」 seems to be obsolete in modern vocabulary, it is still present in some names. For example, my name ends in 之助「のすけ」.
– James
Nov 16 at 9:06
So am I correct in thinking that the たす reading of 助 is somehow formed by adding た to the front of the verb すける? Is た a productive morpheme I do not yet know?
– Wilson
Nov 16 at 9:36
@ericfromabeno Incidentally, おとうと originally meant younger siblings regardless of gender and いもうと your lover.
– user4092
Nov 16 at 13:35
1
@Wilson It's actually the same word with 手 in very old compounds. Look into Old Japanese phonology if you're interested japanese.stackexchange.com/q/9331/7810
– broccoli forest
Nov 16 at 15:58
add a comment |
up vote
25
down vote
up vote
25
down vote
Yes, it is 助【すけ】 + 人【ひと】.
助【すけ】 is an obsolete word that means "help; assistance". The currently used verb 助ける is composed of た "hand" + すく "assist".
Noun + 人 was a very productive way to coin a word that roughly means "-er" or "who is —" throughout older times in Japanese. Many of those words are still surviving in contracted form today, mostly ending in -うと or -うど, but very few of them have -っと rendering.
- 助っ人 < 助 + 人
- 夫【おっと】 "husband" < 男【を】 + 人 "who is (my) man"
- 盗人【ぬすっと】 (pre-modern) "thief" < 盗【ぬす】み "steal" + 人
Compare:
- 弟【おとうと】 "younger brother" < 乙【おと】 "junior" + 人
- 妹【いもうと】 "younger sister" < 妹【いも】 "intimate woman" + 人
- 素人【しろうと】 "amateur" < 白【しろ】 "white" + 人
- 仲人【なこうど】 "matchmaker" < 中【なか】 "middle" + 人
- 狩人【かりうど】 "hunter" < 狩【か】り "hunt" + 人
- 若人【わこうど】 (poetic) "the youth" < 若【わか】 "young" + 人
- 商人【あきんど】 (old-fashioned) "trader" < 商【あき】 "trade" + 人
PS
Further reading: 人：difference between ひと and -うと
answered Nov 15 at 16:04
broccoli forest
29.3k13795
Yes, it is 助【すけ】 + 人【ひと】.
助【すけ】 is an obsolete word that means "help; assistance". The currently used verb 助ける is composed of た "hand" + すく "assist".
Noun + 人 was a very productive way to coin a word that roughly means "-er" or "who is —" throughout older times in Japanese. Many of those words are still surviving in contracted form today, mostly ending in -うと or -うど, but very few of them have -っと rendering.
- 助っ人 < 助 + 人
- 夫【おっと】 "husband" < 男【を】 + 人 "who is (my) man"
- 盗人【ぬすっと】 (pre-modern) "thief" < 盗【ぬす】み "steal" + 人
Compare:
- 弟【おとうと】 "younger brother" < 乙【おと】 "junior" + 人
- 妹【いもうと】 "younger sister" < 妹【いも】 "intimate woman" + 人
- 素人【しろうと】 "amateur" < 白【しろ】 "white" + 人
- 仲人【なこうど】 "matchmaker" < 中【なか】 "middle" + 人
- 狩人【かりうど】 "hunter" < 狩【か】り "hunt" + 人
- 若人【わこうど】 (poetic) "the youth" < 若【わか】 "young" + 人
- 商人【あきんど】 (old-fashioned) "trader" < 商【あき】 "trade" + 人
PS
Further reading: 人：difference between ひと and -うと
answered Nov 15 at 16:04
broccoli forest
29.3k13795
edited Nov 16 at 1:52
answered Nov 15 at 16:04
broccoli forest
29.3k13795
answered Nov 15 at 16:04
broccoli forest
29.3k13795
answered Nov 15 at 16:04
broccoli forest
29.3k13795
29.3k13795
3
knew about some of these, but learned some new things! I had never made the mental connection between the うと of 弟 or 妹 and the kanji 人 before. Cool.
– ericfromabeno
Nov 15 at 17:07
1
It's worth noting that, while 助「すけ」 seems to be obsolete in modern vocabulary, it is still present in some names. For example, my name ends in 之助「のすけ」.
– James
Nov 16 at 9:06
So am I correct in thinking that the たす reading of 助 is somehow formed by adding た to the front of the verb すける? Is た a productive morpheme I do not yet know?
– Wilson
Nov 16 at 9:36
@ericfromabeno Incidentally, おとうと originally meant younger siblings regardless of gender and いもうと your lover.
– user4092
Nov 16 at 13:35
1
@Wilson It's actually the same word with 手 in very old compounds. Look into Old Japanese phonology if you're interested japanese.stackexchange.com/q/9331/7810
– broccoli forest
Nov 16 at 15:58
add a comment |
3
knew about some of these, but learned some new things! I had never made the mental connection between the うと of 弟 or 妹 and the kanji 人 before. Cool.
– ericfromabeno
Nov 15 at 17:07
1
It's worth noting that, while 助「すけ」 seems to be obsolete in modern vocabulary, it is still present in some names. For example, my name ends in 之助「のすけ」.
– James
Nov 16 at 9:06
So am I correct in thinking that the たす reading of 助 is somehow formed by adding た to the front of the verb すける? Is た a productive morpheme I do not yet know?
– Wilson
Nov 16 at 9:36
@ericfromabeno Incidentally, おとうと originally meant younger siblings regardless of gender and いもうと your lover.
– user4092
Nov 16 at 13:35
1
@Wilson It's actually the same word with 手 in very old compounds. Look into Old Japanese phonology if you're interested japanese.stackexchange.com/q/9331/7810
– broccoli forest
Nov 16 at 15:58
3
3
knew about some of these, but learned some new things! I had never made the mental connection between the うと of 弟 or 妹 and the kanji 人 before. Cool.
– ericfromabeno
Nov 15 at 17:07
knew about some of these, but learned some new things! I had never made the mental connection between the うと of 弟 or 妹 and the kanji 人 before. Cool.
– ericfromabeno
Nov 15 at 17:07
1
1
It's worth noting that, while 助「すけ」 seems to be obsolete in modern vocabulary, it is still present in some names. For example, my name ends in 之助「のすけ」.
– James
Nov 16 at 9:06
It's worth noting that, while 助「すけ」 seems to be obsolete in modern vocabulary, it is still present in some names. For example, my name ends in 之助「のすけ」.
– James
Nov 16 at 9:06
So am I correct in thinking that the たす reading of 助 is somehow formed by adding た to the front of the verb すける? Is た a productive morpheme I do not yet know?
– Wilson
Nov 16 at 9:36
So am I correct in thinking that the たす reading of 助 is somehow formed by adding た to the front of the verb すける? Is た a productive morpheme I do not yet know?
– Wilson
Nov 16 at 9:36
@ericfromabeno Incidentally, おとうと originally meant younger siblings regardless of gender and いもうと your lover.
– user4092
Nov 16 at 13:35
@ericfromabeno Incidentally, おとうと originally meant younger siblings regardless of gender and いもうと your lover.
– user4092
Nov 16 at 13:35
1
1
@Wilson It's actually the same word with 手 in very old compounds. Look into Old Japanese phonology if you're interested japanese.stackexchange.com/q/9331/7810
– broccoli forest
Nov 16 at 15:58
@Wilson It's actually the same word with 手 in very old compounds. Look into Old Japanese phonology if you're interested japanese.stackexchange.com/q/9331/7810
– broccoli forest
Nov 16 at 15:58
add a comment |
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