Frain and Refrain

Use this forum to suggest Good Words for Professor Beard.
David Myer
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1140
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:21 am
Location: Melbourne

Frain and Refrain

Postby David Myer » Sat Nov 08, 2014 11:06 pm

I was interested in whether there was a word frain, since refrain looks like a typical re (again), word. So I looked it up. It appears frain is Scottish and no relation at all. So was there once a frain? The bit that you sing only once?

User avatar
Slava
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 8040
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:31 am
Location: Finger Lakes, NY

Re: Frain and Refrain

Postby Slava » Sun Nov 09, 2014 5:13 pm

Nope. Here's what etymonline has on the matter:
v.
mid-14c., from Old French refraigner "restrain, repress, keep in check" (12c., Modern French Réfréner), from Latin refrenare "to bridle, hold in with a bit, check, curb, keep down, control," from re- "back" (see re-) + frenare "restrain, furnish with a bridle," from frenum "a bridle." Related: Refrained; refraining.

n.
late 14c., from Old French refrain "chorus" (13c.), alteration of refrait, noun use of past participle of refraindre "repeat," also "break off," from Vulgar Latin *refrangere "break off," alteration of Latin refringere "break up, break open" (see refraction) by influence of frangere "to break." Influenced in French by cognate Provençal refranhar "singing of birds, refrain." The notion is of something that causes a song to "break off" then resume. OED says not common before 19c.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

David Myer
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1140
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:21 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: Frain and Refrain

Postby David Myer » Sun Nov 09, 2014 6:47 pm

Well then, if refrangere is to frangere, there surely ought to be frain as well as refrain. Henceforth the bit of the song that isn't the refrain, shall be the frain. Unless there is already a suitable word for it? Trouble is, not being very musical, I don't often get the need to use it. Nevertheless, I will work it into my conversation somehow. "I'm not mad on the chorus, but the frain is beautiful"


Return to “Good Word Suggestions”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 28 guests