民みん間かん語ご源げん

noun

folk etymology; popular etymology

A linguistic term for a commonly believed but historically incorrect explanation of a word's origin, often based on superficial resemblance to other words.

• 「まな板いた」の語ご源げんを「真ま魚なの板いた」とするのは民みん間かん語ご源げんの一いち例れいだ。

  Explaining the origin of まな板 as 'true fish board' is an example of folk etymology.

• この説せつは民みん間かん語ご源げんに過すぎず、言げん語ご学がく的てきな根こん拠きょはない。

  This theory is nothing more than folk etymology and has no linguistic basis.