Meaning of "cunning"

in :
[nq:1]Is the meaning of the word "cunning" different in England or the U.S.?[/nq]
Yes, very much so. In UK English, cunning means clever, knowing - but with a pejorative aspect. "Cunning like the fox" is the best example. In US English, it's a compliment - "What a cunning little hat!"

In much the same way, "cute" took on the same meaning in the US, whereas its original sense

In article , J. Vassiliou (Email Removed) writes:
[nq:1]Is the meaning of the word "cunning" different in England or the U.S.? Molly has answered your question, so I'll ... the US", rather than "England or the US". -- John Hall "Banking was conceived in iniquity and born in sin"[/nq]
Sir Josiah Stamp, a former president of the Bank of England

[nq:1] in :[/nq]
[nq:2]Is the meaning of the word "cunning" different in England or the U.S.?[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, very much so. In UK English, cunning means clever, knowing - but with a pejorative aspect. "Cunning like the fox" is the best example. In US English, it's a compliment - "What a cunning little hat!"[/nq]
FWIW, historically cunning just meant wise. The local herbalist/witch/qua

[nq:1]It does also retain a less pejorative sense in UK English as "ingenious"- a cunning plan or, erm, stunt. I assume it has some etymological link to "ken" (as well as "can") but this isn't clear in my dictionaries.[/nq]
I always assumed that the etymological link was to "***" which makes an odd sort of sense. This would account for the pejorative element.

Dave F

in (Email Removed):
[nq:1]It does also retain a less pejorative sense in UK English as "ingenious"- a cunning plan or, erm, stunt. I assume it has some etymological link to "ken" (as well as "can") but this isn't clear in my dictionaries.[/nq]
As a Scot, I had always assumed cunning=kenning, although bearing different baggage.
[nq:1]I wonder if UK and US audiences interpret the Janace

[nq:1] in (Email Removed):[/nq]
[nq:2]It does also retain a less pejorative sense in UK ... well as "can") but this isn't clear in my dictionaries.[/nq]
[nq:1]As a Scot, I had always assumed cunning=kenning, although bearing different baggage.[/nq]
OED2 agrees with you, for what it is worth. An old meaning of 'can' was 'know', and it has the same etymological derivation as 'ken'.

[nq:1]Molly has answered your question, so I'll merely point out that we would say "England and the US", rather than "England or the US".[/nq]
Thank you all for your answers, I couldn't hope for more. John thanks for pointing that out for me; in fact I thought there was something wrong with it as I was writing it.

Happy Holidays to everyone.
-- J.Vassiliou

in :
[nq:1]Happy Holidays to everyone.[/nq]
And to you. However, since this is the UK, not the US, we say "Happy Christmas" and "Happy New Year" rather than "Happy Holidays". -- Molly Mockford I think I've been too long on my own, but the little green goblin that lives under the sink says I'm OK - and he's never wrong, so I must be! (My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain s

[nq:1] in :[/nq]
[nq:2]Happy Holidays to everyone.[/nq]
[nq:1]And to you. However, since this is the UK, not the US, we say "Happy Christmas" and "Happy New Year" rather than "Happy Holidays".[/nq]
Surely it's "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year"?

-- http://www.dacha.freeuk.com/ada/08-0.htm

in (Email Removed):
[nq:2]And to you. However, since this is the UK, not the US, we say "Happy Christmas" and "Happy New Year" rather than "Happy Holidays".[/nq]
[nq:1]Surely it's "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year"?[/nq]
I think both "Happy Christmas" and "Merry Christmas" are usual. However, if one says "Merry New Year" instead of "Happy New Year", one is assumed to be making joc