strange-sounding
Meaning
Having an unusual, unfamiliar, or odd quality to the ear.
Structure
Usage
The documentary featured a strange-sounding instrument from a remote tribe.
He gave a strange-sounding excuse that nobody believed.
The word has a strange-sounding pronunciation to non-native speakers.
Etymology
The compound adjective "strange-sounding" is a modern English formation that transparently combines two native elements. "Strange" entered English via Old French, carrying the Latin sense of "external" or "foreign," which evolved to mean "unfamiliar" or "odd." "Sound," of Germanic and Latin lineage, refers to auditory sensation. The suffix "-ing" is a productive Germanic adjectival suffix. The literal construction, "having the quality of an unfamiliar sound," directly conveys its meaning, describing anything perceived as acoustically peculiar or unconventional.
Analysis
- strange: From Old French 'estrange', meaning "foreign, alien, unusual". Ultimately from Latin 'extraneus', meaning "external, foreign". - sound: From Old English 'sund', 'gesund' (healthy, safe) and Old French 'son', from Latin 'sonus', meaning "noise, sound". The modern spelling and sense derive from a convergence of these roots. - ing: A suffix of Germanic origin used to form adjectives from nouns or verbs, indicating "having the quality of".