Wiktionary:Etymology scriptorium/2010/August

Is it all guesswork?

Following a (one-sided) discussion at innit, I was wondering how we arrive at our etymology sections. What evidence do we use? Can we just make it up if, for example, a Greek or Latin word looks suspiciously like the word in question? Is it all guesswork? SemperBlotto 15:59, 11 August 2010 (UTC)

• No. It is one of the sections where disagreements have to be settled by appeal to authority (ie, a good, modern etymological dictionary). Ƿidsiþ 14:27, 30 August 2010 (UTC)

etymology of beguine

I imagine it derives from French, is that right? ---> Tooironic 00:51, 16 August 2010 (UTC)

• It does, although it seems to be from the French spoken in the Southern US. Ƿidsiþ 09:29, 1 October 2010 (UTC)