Peg in Papillion, Nebraska, has been reading Winston Graham’s Poldark series, which is set in Cornwall around the turn of the 19th century. The characters sometimes greet each other with, “You’re looking brave.” Although brave usually means courageous, it’s also been used to mean finely dressed or excellent. This sense also appears in the related Scots term brawf and as well as braw, all of which may derive from the Italian word bravo, meaning good or brave. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Looking Brave”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hi, this is Peg O’Day-Lippert in Papillion, Nebraska.
Hi, Peg. Welcome to the show.
Thank you.
What can we do for you, Peg?
Well, I recently read all 12 volumes of Winston Graham’s The Poldark series, and these stories took place in Cornwall, England, between 1783 and 1818.
And they had an interesting phrase. Upon meeting friends or acquaintances, instead of like we might say, oh, how are you? You look great. They would say, you’re looking brave. I was just so fascinated by this that I wonder what the origin and true meaning of that phrase is.
The word brave has been used in centuries past to mean not only courageous, but finely dressed or looking good or handsome or splendid.
Oh, yeah.
Well, that would fit. Then to look healthy and well-dressed both, I guess that would be a double brave, wouldn’t it?
Yeah.
Back in the 16th century, there was a reference to the lilies which are braver than Solomon, which I just love because it’s not as if the flowers are really courageous. They’re more finely dressed than Solomon himself.
Yeah.
One of the Scots dictionaries, the Dictionary of the Scots Language, particularly the part of it which is before 1700, suggests that this comes from the Italian bravo, which besides meaning brave also could mean excellent.
So we’re looking at something that’s at least 500 years old and borrowed from one European language into another one.
So you’re looking excellent. I like that.
Yeah, the Scots will often do it without the V sound. It’s more like braw.
Yes, B-R-A-W, braw. And a few other spellings are more like sometimes like an F instead of a V.
But, yeah.
Interesting.
Well, thank you so much. That is an enhanced view of what I interpreted to mean. I like it.
Thank you.
Peg, thank you so much for calling.
Thank you.
All right.
Take care.
Take care.
Bye-bye.
By the way, the Dictionary of the Scots Language is available free online.
