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An awfully awesome contrast in meaning

Listen to the conversation.

At this point and time, it's pretty clear that the words "awful" and "awesome" aren't interchangeable. But why do their prefixes sound identical?

Our listener Kalen asks: “Why is ‘awesome’ a positive word and ‘awful’ a negative word?”

This is a great example of how two words can start in the same place and end up with quite different meanings.

Since both of these words meant “awe-inspiring” at one point in their lives, we should look at “awe” first.

“Awe” has changed meaning over time, which helps explain why “awful” and “awesome” have changed over time. Early on, “awe” meant fear or dread. Therefore, to be “awe-inspiring” meant to inspire awe or dread.

However, later on “awe” comes to mean respectful fear or reverence – for example, someone could be in awe of the dead. This shift affects “awesome” and “awful.”

The earliest meaning of “awful” is to cause dread or be terrible as well as to be worthy of profound respect. By the Renaissance “awful” could still refer to something that is solemnly impressive – that’s why we sometimes see translations of the Bible that refer to an “awful God.”

By the early 1800s, we start to see some slang uses of “awful” to mean ugly, frightful, or monstrous – meanings that are much closer to what we have today. At some point, “awful” also becomes an intensifier: “I’m awfully sad.”

“Awesome” is a little more recent than “awful.” The Oxford English Dictionary puts its earliest usages back to 1598 – it meant full of awe or profoundly reverential.

However, even in the 1600s, “awesome” could mean to inspire awe in the sense of inspiring dread. And, like “awful,” there are still biblical translations that refer to an “awesome God.”

By the 20th century, the meaning of “awesome” weakens to mean remarkable or staggering.  Additionally, by the 1970s, we start to see it used as an exclamative or affirmative: “How was your vacation?” he asked.  “Awesome!” she said.

Can you think of other words that sound similar but have very different meanings?

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Copyright 2018 Michigan Radio

Rebecca Kruth is a reporter interning with Aspen Public Radio over the summer of 2013. Originally from Eaton Rapids, Michigan, Rebecca is thrilled to be spending her summer making radio in the mountains. Though she's always been a public radio fan, Rebecca explored several other career paths including teaching high school English before making her way to the airwaves. During her graduate studies at Michigan State University, Rebecca decided radio was where she needed to be and squeezed some journalism courses into her American Studies degree program. After graduation, she snagged internships on the news desk at WKAR, East Lansing and the arts and culture desk at WBEZ, Chicago. When she's not chasing stories, Rebecca enjoys cycling, photography, listening to This American Life and wandering around the country with her husband, James.
Rebecca Kruth
Rebecca Kruth is the host of Weekend Edition and a reporter at Michigan Radio. She first came to the station in 2014 as a Morning Edition intern. After earning degrees in English and American Studies from Michigan State University, Rebecca began her radio career as a newsroom intern at WKAR in East Lansing. She completed additional news internships at WBEZ Chicago and KAJX Aspen. When she’s not on the airwaves, Rebecca enjoys hiking, Korean food and wandering the country with her husband James. She's also Bruce Springsteen's number one fan.
Anne Curzan is the Geneva Smitherman Collegiate Professor of English and an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan. She also holds faculty appointments in the Department of Linguistics and the School of Education.