Why do words like blackmail start with the prefix 'black'?

Answer 1

Black in black mail is an example of a bound morpheme, rather than of a prefix, because it is bound to the word. An example of black as a free morpheme is black hat. Compare a prefix, which cannot stand alone.

The English blackmail probably comes from the Latin reditus nigri "black mail". This meant a rent payable in grain, labor, and so forth. Compare reditus albi "white mail", which was rent paid with money (silver). The introduction of blackmail to the English language has different stories: "border raiders" extorted black mail from the residents for the agreement to not raid the Scottish/English borders. There is also a story that Scottish chieftains collected mail (payment) from tenants as assurance for their safety. Failure to pay would have terrible and violent consequences. Thus, the word assumed the meaning of extortion "demand for payment based on threat of embarrassment, exposure, or harm".

In Western society and in the English and other Germanic languages, the word black typically has negative connotations: "anarchy, burning, chaos, crime, darkness, fear, power, seriousness". Think about the guy with the black hat, about the superstitions attached to black cats and blackbirds, about how bad it is to be to be blacklisted or to be the family black sheep. And it is quite bad to have a black mark against you. We have dark or black moods. There are also black operations (ops). And we enjoy the dark side of film noir "dark film", such as The Maltese Falcon.

On the other hand, black can have positive connotations. Black clothing is often considered elegant. If a business is "in the black (ink)" or if one refers to "black ink," it means that the business is no longer in "in the red (ink)" or losing money.

The mixed connotations of black emphasize the role of perspective in the meanings of words.

As for learning about the meanings of words, you can search for definitions in dictionaries or on the internet. Either source will often provide clues about the origin of any word.

Answer 2

The prefix "black" in the word blackmail likely originates from the Middle English word "blak" meaning "pale, wan, or white." Over time, the meaning evolved to connote "evil" or "sinister," as seen in terms like "blackmail" or "blacklist."