Recently I read the word being used this way:
"I am tremendously humble and was a little emotional after the game," Childress said. "I'm just happy for those guys in the locker room. ... They faced a lot of adversity tonight. It was an away game, a Monday night, Hall of Fame coach, I'm just pleased with what they accomplished."
Oftentimes I would hear the word being used in this manner: " I am humbled by this great opportunity," or "I am humbled to receive this award." At first glance, the kind of emotion that the sentences convey sounds good but it seems to me that the word humble is being missused in such cases.
Humble people do not claim to be humble.
A Humbling experience usually involves some type of struggle within oneself self which is not the kind the feeling one gets when one gets an award or a win - grateful maybe, but not humble. Maybe I'm just a bit behind the evolution of the word. If so, please explain.
2006-09-12 04:41:43 · 4 answers · asked by dreydrey 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
humble (adj.)
c.1250, from O.Fr. humble, earlier humele, from L. humilis "lowly, humble," lit. "on the ground," from humus "earth." Senses of "not self-asserting" and "of low birth or rank" were both in M.E. The verb is c.1380 in the intrans. sense of "to render oneself humble;" 1484 in the trans. sense of "to lower (someone) in dignity."
"Don't be so humble; you're not that great." [Golda Meir]
To eat humble pie (1830) is from umble pie (1648), pie made from umbles "edible inner parts of an animal" (especially deer), considered a low-class food. The similar sense of similar-sounding words (the "h" of humble was not pronounced then) converged in the pun. Umbles, meanwhile, is M.E. numbles "offal" (with loss of n- through assimilation into preceding article), from O.Fr. nombles "loin, fillet," from L. lumulus, dim. of lumbus "loin."
This was brought you by the Internet Hound. Unleash the Hound. http://internethound.8m.com
2006-09-12 05:05:44 · answer #1 · answered by Adam H 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm with you! The word "humble", as it's often used now, doesn't mean humble at all! If you are truly humbled by an experience, you are reminded of how small your place in the universe is. I think the shift in meaning is very funny, personally. People say "I am humbled" instead of what they really mean, which is "Wasn't I awesome? I'm just too genteel to brag about it." It's a very workmanlike word, if you think about it. It lets you get the kudos for whatever praiseworthy thing you've done, AND the kudos for being so dang unassuming about it. Neat, huh?
Of course, humble is like any other word in English--its meaning changes over time, and an army of William Safires can't stop that. My personal pet peeve is seeing nouns turned into verbs "impact" and "network" come to mind--but it does happen, inevitably and naturally, and it's not necessarily a bad thing. Not so long ago, "edit" wasn't a verb either, and no one questions its validity anymore.
I have always wondered whether the word "humble" might be etymologically related to the old word "numble". The "numbles" were the parts left over after a deer was killed--the less-desirable parts to eat. It makes you wonder about the origin of the expression "eating humble pie". Might it have been "numble pie" originally?
2006-09-12 07:22:15 · answer #2 · answered by Leslie D 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Has the meaning of the word "humble" changed/evolved?
Recently I read the word being used this way:
"I am tremendously humble and was a little emotional after the game," Childress said. "I'm just happy for those guys in the locker room. ... They faced a lot of adversity tonight. It was an away game, a Monday night, Hall of Fame...
2015-08-20 08:53:57 · answer #3 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The word comes from the Latin 'humilis' = low, from 'humus' = ground, and means 1) conscious of one's failings; 2) unpretentious, lowly (a humble cottage, in my humble opionion) 3) deferential or servile; 4) to cause to become humble, to humiliate. 5) to lower in status.
You will also have seen letters which end 'I am, Sir, Your humble servant etc'
I think it is true to suggest that the use of the word has become slightly corrupted - you are quite right when you say that 'humble' is not a typical emotion when one has achieved a great success.
Such a use of the word is typical of the very bad misuse and abuse of the English language which is so prevalent today.
It would be much more appropriate to declare oneself 'humble' having been granted and honour, or chosen to represent one's country. In that context you are expressing your feeling that you do not consider yourself worthy of such an honour.
It may be argued that many of those expounding their humility are anything but humble!!
I don't think you are behind the evolution of the word, merely that you, like many of us, are somewhat confused by the inappropriate use of our language!
I hope this helps.....
2006-09-12 05:06:38 · answer #4 · answered by aarcue 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Different translations of the bible would suggest love and charity are synonmus. Examples found in.1st Corrinthians ch. 13 vs. 1-17 illustrate this many times. I would enjoy hearing from a scholar of the languages used in those past times to clarify my understanding. The story of the "World's Poorest Philanthropist", Gilbert "Harold" Ewing II (myself) is the reason for this querry. The " act of grace", or charity, reffered to in the news interview, has posited this question and I lack the sort of education to provide any insights of true value.
2016-03-13 05:08:29 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It has not.
But those who use the word as you cited in your example are best called "humbugs". Pretentious, that they are!
2006-09-12 04:46:00 · answer #6 · answered by Bummerang 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋