[Vwoolf] Etymology of faggot.

[Adolphe Haberer]

Alain Rey's Le Robert : Dictionnaire historique 
de la langue française concludes that none of the 
hypothetical origins of the word "fagot" (from 
Latin, Greek, German) is fully convincing. The 
idiomatic phrases quoted by Stuart are still very 
much in use, and "être mal fagoté" can very well 
be used for an ill-dressed man. May I add another 
two phrases, still very much in use? "Sentir le 
fagot", is said of a man, or of a man's 
discourse, that can be accused of heresy (ie 
destined to be tied to the stake and burnt); more 
convivial, a bottle of wine "de derrière les 
fagots" is a special treat since it has been kept 
hidden for years behind the heap of kindling wood.
With best wishes
Ado
-- 
Adolphe Haberer
Professeur émérite, Université Lumière-Lyon 2,
1, route de Saint-Antoine
F-69380 Chazay d'Azergues
tel & fax +33 (0)4 78 43 65 24
E-mail : <Adolphe.Haberer at univ-lyon2.fr>, <ado at haberer.fr>