this post was submitted on 03 Mar 2026
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Science Memes

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[–] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 33 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

This is largely true. English takes '-ard' from Old French. MW defines it as:

one that is characterized by performing some action, possessing some quality, or being associated with some thing especially conspicuously or excessively

The main point is that it's generally just a pejorative suffix.

Citing the Trésor de la langue française informatisé, however, Wiktionary puts forward a surprisingly cogent counterargument and alternative etymology to the "packsaddle" one for "bastard".

[–] helvetpuli@sopuli.xyz 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

French still has this feature, for instance a driver is a chauffeur, and a bad driver is a chauffard. Some one who goes overboard with partying is a fêtard, etc.

[–] fartographer@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Why would they have a second pejorative for someone who is excessively overbo?