Simple-minded - which one? Meaning, etymology, synonyms

Is innocent good or bad quality? On the one hand, if it’s simple, it doesn’t deceive, does not involve in a dubious enterprise. On the other - this is a simple-minded, naive person whom others can easily circle around a finger. It is difficult to give a definite answer. First you need to better understand the meaning of the word "simple-minded".

Dictionary Interpretation

Based on the meanings of "innocent" given in the explanatory dictionaries, the following can be noted:

1. When a person is called simple-minded, they mean his extraordinary credulity, his inability to cheat. Example: "From the simple-minded mistress Matrena Ivanovna, we managed to find out all the village news and the latest gossip."
2. If they say that a person has a simple-minded expression on his face, then they mean that his feelings are artless, openly reflected on his face. Example: "This girl could not be called beautiful, but her pleasant chest voice, charm and simple-minded smile so bribed the interlocutor that her appearance faded into the background."
3. If the manner of expressing one’s thoughts, one speaks of someone’s words as simple-minded, it means that such a manner and such words are simple and unpretentious. Example: “The simple-hearted banter constantly emanating from his father greatly annoyed Sergey. But out of respect, he held back as best he could. "

For a better understanding of what “simple-minded” means, it is advisable to refer to the origin of the word.

Etymology

Simple-minded is a word that is formed from the other two - the adjective "simple" and the noun "soul". The adjective comes from the pre-Slavic prost, from which also formed:

• Old Russian and Old Slavonic “simple”, the meanings of which are “open”, “simple”, “direct”, “free”;
• Ukrainian “simple”;
• Belarusian “simple”;
• Bulgarian “simple”, which means “direct”, “simple”;
• Serbo-Croatian “simple” - “simple”, “forgiven”;
• Slovenian pròst - “laid-back”, “ordinary”, “free”, “simple”;
• Czech and Slovak prostý - “direct”, “simple”;
• Polish, Upper Luzhian prosty;
• Lower Luzhsky ršosty.

The pre-Slavic adjective prost consists of two parts - pro and sto. Linguists compare it with:

• to the Lithuanian noun ãpstas - "abundance", adjectives apstùs - "plentiful", "wide", "generous" and atstùs - "distant" prãstas - "ordinary", "simple";
• Latvian dialect nuôst - “away”;
• the ancient Indian form suṣṭhú, which can be translated as “in good condition”;
• Greek adjective δύστος - "unfortunate."

According to linguists, the initial form of the pro-Slavic adjective is prosthos, which means "speaker". It is akin to the ancient Indian prastha in the meaning of "mountain plain", "area". As well as the Irish ross - "cape", "forest".

As for the noun "soul", its etymology is as follows. It also has pre-Slavic roots and is associated with the word duša. From the latter, among other things, came:

• Old Slavonic "dѹsha";
• Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Serbo-Croatian “souls”;
• Slovenian dúša;
• Czech duše;
• Slovak, Upper Luzhsk and Lower Luzhska duša;
• Polish dusza.

The pre-Slavic “soul” comes from the form duxi̯ā, formed from the Old Slavonic “dѹkh”, which means “spirit”.

Synonyms

Next, synonyms for the word "simple-minded" will be considered. It:

• innocent;
• ingenuous;
• rustic;
• trustful;
• straightforward;
• naive;
• direct;
• sincere;
• frank;
• kindhearted;
• gentle;
• telling the truth;
• simple;
• like a child;
• behaves childishly;
• unspoilt;
• inexperienced;
• simple-hearted;
• a stranger to cunning;
• simple;
• simple-hearted;
• alien to tricks;
• on the mind, on the tongue;
• clean;
• without a second thought;
• big child;
• with pure thoughts;
• simpleton;
• inexperienced;
• gullible;
• simpleton;
• honest;
• unintentional;
• unsuspecting;
• good-natured person;
• straight.

Thus, the studied token has many synonyms.

In conclusion, the consideration of the fact that this is simple-minded will be said about Voltaire's play of the same name.

Philosophical Tale

It was published in 1767 in Lausanne, and translated into Russian eight years later. It describes the Russoist, "natural man" and his misadventures in France with its then clerical-absolutist old order.

A naive “child of nature” arrives in Brittany from Canada on a ship. This is Huron, a Frenchman who, after the death of his parents, was raised by the Indians. He gets into the house of his uncle prior. He is surprised by the most simple and familiar things for the civilized world.

This story of Voltaire is distinguished from others by the fact that the driving force in it is love affair. This is the relationship of Huron and St. Yves, his godmother. Trying to achieve the conclusion of a legal marriage with her, a naive hero dooms himself to a series of misadventures and serious trials, faced with harsh reality.

Having examined the meaning of the word being studied, its origin and synonyms, we can conclude that the simple-minded is a pretty, but still, often dangerous quality for a person.