Word Sum Wednesday: regardless

re+gard+less

I’m reviewing a curriculum where <gard> was listed as a “non-word.” My brain immediately wanted to create meaning, wondering why it wasn’t written as <guard>, a real word. I realized this non-word was pulled from a word they would be reading later and that it was the base for <regardless>.
The root is Old French: garder “to look” made me wonder about <garden> but it’s unrelated. Most of the words in this family are off the stem <regard> whereby <re-> is an intensifier. I found these morphologically related word: regards, regarding, regarded, disregard, disregards, disregarding and regardless. We end a letter, “with regards,” or, “kind regards.” This is an endearing “looking at,” giving them your attention during the letter writing.  When we say, “Regarding this item…,” we are bringing out attention to or looking at that stated item.

I just can’t stop thinking about the usage of the word, “irregardless,” though. It’s usage drives some people crazy. Why? Because <regardless> and <irregardless> have the same meaning, when the <ir-> prefix should make them opposite. The standard form is <regardless>, while many will say “irregardless” is not a word, it still exists is common usage today. Words develop in oral language. Some are kept. Some evolve and some are dropped from our language. When they kept, they make their way into the dictionary. “Selfie” did eventually. What about <irregardless>? “Irregardless” is in the dictionary, but is often listed as “non-standard.” This means that while it is in common spoken usage, some consider it inappropriate in oral usage and definitely not okay in formal written usage. 

While in that tangled web, I still had a nagging feeling about <guard> and as I pulled up it’s etymology I discovered it is related to the bound base of <gard>. A <guard> watches over something. The PIE root is traced back to *wer- to perceive or watch out for. This root connects quite a few words including: guard, warden, reverend and steward. These are all people who watch over, as caring of some sort of group of people. A looking out continues with these etymologically related words: beware, wary, aware, and panorama.

So, with kind regards, I hope that this study may bring you a better connection and attention to this bound base <gard> regardless of how you came upon it.

References

Etymonline. “Regard”. www.etymonline.com/regard

Fogarty, Mignon. “Irregardless Versus Regardless.” Quick and Dirty Tips, Grammar Girl, 24 Jan. 2018, www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/irregardless-versus-regardless.