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I always just imagined that it was signs that tell a tale. And the online etymology dictionary seems to confirm that. https://www.etymonline.com/word/telltale
by carlmr 4y ago
I always just imagined that it was signs that tell a tale. And the online etymology dictionary seems to confirm that.
https://www.etymonline.com/word/telltale https://www.etymonline.com/word/telltale
>also tell-tale, "discloser of secrets," 1540s, from tell (v.) + tale. As an adjective from 1590s. Phrase tell a tale "relate a false or exaggerated story" is from late 13c.
Is it maybe that the nautical term comes from plain English?
- Digit-Al 4y agoQuite a lot of folk etymology tries to, incorrectly, assign nautical origins to common words and phrases. I used to read a column by an etymologist that jokingly referred to this using the term CANOE - the Committee to Assign a Nautical Origin to Everything :-)