3 Amusing Facts About the Word ‘Super’

Howdy readers! Today, we’re going to take a delightful detour from the usual humdrum and step into the realm of the ‘super’. We’re not talking about Superman, Super Bowl, or even supermarket. We’re delving into the very heart of the word ‘super’ itself.

1. A ‘Super’ Historical Mishap

Our first tidbit takes us back to the etymological roots of ‘super’. Originating from Latin, ‘super’ meant ‘above’ or ‘over’. Seems pretty straightforward, right? Well, not for the poor Romans who were left utterly confused when they encountered the French.

You see, the French, being the classy linguists they are, decided to adopt ‘super’ into their language. But, in typical French fashion, they added their own je ne sais quoi. The French started using ‘super’ to mean ‘excellent’ or ‘first-rate’.

So, picture this: A Roman merchant tries to sell his ‘super’ wines to a Frenchman, expecting him to understand that these wines are from the vineyard ‘above’ the hill. The Frenchman, delighted, is expecting the best wine he’s ever tasted. The end result? A Roman left bewildered by the Frenchman’s theatrics and a Frenchman very disappointed by the “excellent” wine’s taste.

2. Super-super-superlatives

Did you know that ‘super’ has a superlative of its own? That’s right! It’s called a ‘super-superlative’. It doesn’t get more meta than that. It’s like saying something is ‘very very good’, but in a more sophisticated manner.

The English language, in its infinite wisdom, has given us the power to intensify our adjectives to the max. We’ve got good, better, best, and then we have ‘super’ best. Sounds wrong, doesn’t it? But language is a strange beast, and there are actual instances where people have used these super-superlatives. ‘Most unkindest’ anyone? That’s Shakespeare for you.

So the next time you’re losing an argument, just throw in a ‘super’ superlative. You might not win, but you’ll definitely leave the other person super confused!

3. The Supermarket Paradox

This final nugget is about the word ‘supermarket’. Now, a supermarket, as we all know, is a large self-service store selling foods and household goods. But let’s break it down.

‘Super’, as we’ve established, can mean ‘above’ or ‘over’. ‘Market’, we know, is a place where people buy and sell goods. So, a supermarket should technically be a market that’s above or over another market, right? A double-decker market, if you will.

Yet, we have never seen a supermarket floating above a regular market. We’re still waiting for the day when we can look up from buying apples and say, “Oh, look, there’s the supermarket. I need to get there for some pasta.” Until then, we’ll have to stick to the much less amusing, ground-based supermarkets.

And there you have it, folks! Three amusing facts about the word ‘super’. We’ve romped through history, wrestled with language and even defied gravity. Remember, whenever you use ‘super’ in conversation, do it with a smirk. It’s a word that has seen some truly amusing capers. Stay super!