Talk:Bachelor's degree/Archive 2020

Etymology / "folk" etymology

The article claims that the term "Bachelor" derives from middle Latin baccalaureus, and that "[b]y folk etymology or wordplay, the word baccalaureus came to be associated with bacca lauri ("laurel berry") in reference to laurels being awarded for academic success or honours." Calling this a "folk" etymology clearly suggests that this etymology is not actually correct.

But the Wiktionary article on "baccalaureus" (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/baccalaureus#Latin) states as a fact that the term derives from bacca laurea" (laurel berries) "due to the fact that graduates wore laurel crowns filled with berries in order to represent the fruit of their study."

So which is it? If that's the actual etymology, then it's not a "folk" etymology. If it's not, then the Wiktionary article on baccalaureus and all related articles (baccalaureate, bachelor, etc.) need to be corrected. 4.15.123.6 (talk) 21:40, 24 June 2020 (UTC)

I've not seen reliable sources claim it as a true etymology. OED (lexico.com) gives it as "Middle English from Old French bacheler; of uncertain origin."; Collins gives it as "C13: from Old French bacheler youth, squire, from Vulgar Latin baccalāris (unattested) farm worker, of Celtic origin; compare Irish Gaelic bachlach peasant"; Merriam Webster gives "Middle English bacheler "knight lacking retainers, squire, young man (especially an unmarried one), person holding the lowest university degree," borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Medieval Latin *baccalāris, variant of baccalārius, bachelārius "serf without land living in the lord's household, vassal lacking a fief, knight without retainers, young clerk, student," of obscure origin". So it seems Wiktionary is inconsistent with reliable sources. Robminchin (talk) 00:57, 25 June 2020 (UTC)