Guy Power wrote:
>A bit off-topic, but .... is 'quel tacque!' the etymological genesis
>of "how tacky!" (i.e., how gauche) in American English?
The oldest usage of 'tack' is that relating to the nail, which in turn
derives from an ancient Germanic word that is also the origin of the
modern German Zacken, “prong; tooth”, which entered English via the
Old French tache, “fastening, nail”. Latterly a 'tack' was a small
object for affixing or fastening e.g. thumb tack, carpet tack or tin
tack. It may be that because these objects were often used for
remedial fastening, that some items that were shabby or worn were
'tacky'. Going back to your original point: the combination of Old
Frence 'tache' and 'taque' are probably connected.
Richard Lichten
