Barbarized

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Altered to become more primitive or uncivilized in nature ; corrupted or degraded in language or artistic style by foreign influences or errors
2. Transformed so as to appear less refined or cultured ; made impure or less elegant in speech or writing by inappropriate elements
3. Changed to a rougher or less cultivated form ; tainted in communication or form by foreign or improper additions

Etymology: "Barbarized" is the past tense and past participle of "barbarize," so its story belongs to that verb. The verb comes from "barbarous," which in ancient Greek described anyone who did not speak Greek, a sound-based slur for speech that seemed like meaningless "bar bar" chatter to Greek ears. Over time the Greek sense of outsider hardened into the idea of savagery, and the English adjective "barbarous" carried that meaning of cruelty and lack of refinement. The verb "barbarize" grew from that adjective, formed by adding the common verb-making ending "-ize," which came into English through French and Latin from Greek. To barbarize something is to make it rough, uncivil, or uncultivated, so the word describes a process of turning something refined into something crude. Its past forms, "barbarized," simply report that such a change has already happened.