The spelling of the phrase "brought upon" can be explained using IPA phonetic transcription. The word "brought" is pronounced /brɔt/, with the "ou" diphthong making the "aw" sound. The word "upon" is pronounced /əˈpɒn/, with the "u" making the "uh" sound and the stressed syllable being on the second syllable, as indicated by the accent mark. Together, the phrase is pronounced /brɔtəˈpɒn/. This phrase means to cause something to happen or to bring something into effect.
Brought upon is a phrasal verb that refers to the act of causing or bringing about a particular situation or outcome. This term is commonly used to denote that someone or something has initiated or caused a certain event, circumstance, or consequence.
The verb "bring" in this context means to cause something to happen or come into existence. Thus, when combined with the preposition "upon," it emphasizes that the action has directly affected a person, object, or situation.
For instance, suppose a person's irresponsible behavior leads to financial ruin. One could say that they have brought upon themselves the financial hardship by their actions. In this example, the individual's actions directly caused the unfavorable circumstance.
The phrase "brought upon" can also be used to describe more general situations. For example, if a natural disaster like a hurricane causes widespread destruction and loss of life, it can be said that the region has been brought upon by the hurricane.
Overall, "brought upon" is used to signify the initiation or instigation of an event, consequence, or situation by an individual, group, or external force. It highlights the cause-and-effect relationship between the initiator and the resultant outcome.
The word "brought upon" is actually a phrase composed of two separate words: "brought" and "upon". Each part has its own etymology:
1. "Brought": The word "brought" is the past tense and past participle form of the verb "bring". It originated from the Middle English word "bringen", which itself came from Old English "bringan" meaning "to bring, to carry". traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "brenganą", meaning "to bring" or "to carry". Thus, the etymology of "brought" traces back to Old English and Proto-Germanic.
2. "Upon": The word "upon" has a simpler etymology. It originated from the Middle English word "uppon", which came from the Old English "uppan" meaning "on, upon".