How words evolve

Slang and contractions can form naturally without people being aware of it. This occurs as they quickly move through the less important parts of certain expressions. As Michael Adams, PhD, a professor of English and linguistics at Indiana University, pointed out, “It’s unusual for English speakers to retain a lot of words in unstressed positions in a phrase. In ‘1 of the clock,’ you’ve got two unstressed words there: the of and the the. And it is an invitation to a type of abbreviation. So it’s not ‘1 of the clock’ but ‘1 o’clock.’ You get that nice alternating rhythm there, which is so typical of the cadence of English.”

Have that in writing

As literacy rates increased over time, the spelling of “o’clock” became standardized. This shift resulted in the full phrase “of the clock” being used less frequently. “Part of what you have here is that, because these are early enough, the spelling comes to reflect the pronunciation,” explained Curzan.

Jack-o’-lantern

The term “O’clock” isn’t the only contraction that has largely replaced the original expression. “Jack-o’-lantern” also brings up the question: What does the “O” stand for? It actually represents “of,” making the full phrase “Jack of the lantern.”

This term originated in Britain during the 1800s to describe a night watchman or any man carrying a lantern, according to Merriam-Webster. Back then, it was common to refer to unfamiliar individuals as “Jack” or other popular names, much like the use of “John Doe” today. It wasn’t until the 19th century that “Jack-o’-lanterns” became the name for the now-iconic pumpkin lanterns. However, the exact link between the term and the pumpkins remains unclear.

More contractions

Contractions reveal how language evolves over time. Nowadays, we often overlook the apostrophe’s role in replacing something. However, expressions like o’clock, ne’er-do-well (“never-do-well”), and will-o’-the-wisp (“will-of-the-wisp”) highlight the rich history embedded in the English language. There’s much to admire about it, even though its grammar can drive us to frustration. (Why are there so many exceptions to “i after e except after c”?)