Wow #History of #English podcast has blown my mind again. The suffix “ly” clinging to many adverbs was originally the word for “like,” pronounced “leechee,” spelled “lice.” They were originally compound words, as in “childlike,” but the chee sound fell off, leaving only the “lee.” See above: originally and only. See also: quickly, loosely, and happily.

It’s interesting to think about in light of our modern tendency to insert “like” as a similar modifier for whole phrases. #etymology #philiology