The spelling of the word "call after" is phonetically pronounced as /kɔːl ˈɑːftər/. The sound "k" represents the beginning consonant sound while "aa" is long vowel sound pronounced as "ah". The syllable "f" sounds like "v" in some accents leading to pronouncing "call after" as "call avter". The ending syllable "er" is the most common way to represent the sound in English and is pronounced as "ər" which is the schwa sound. Therefore, "call after" is spelled based on how it is pronounced in the English language.
Call after is a phrasal verb that means to name or give a title or designation to someone or something in honor or remembrance of another person or thing. It is used when a person or thing is given a name that is inspired by or meant to honor or commemorate another individual or object.
The act of calling after often occurs when someone wants to pay tribute to or acknowledge the importance of a particular person or thing in their life. This could involve naming a child after a beloved family member or bestowing a title on a newly discovered planet after a famous scientist.
For instance, if a couple decides to name their child "John" after the father's late grandfather, they would be calling their child after the deceased family member as a way of honoring his memory and legacy.
Similarly, if a newly discovered species of bird is named "Smithi" after a renowned ornithologist named Dr. Smith, it would be a way of calling the bird after the scientist to recognize his contribution to the field of ornithology.
In summary, the term call after refers to the act of naming or designating someone or something in tribute or remembrance of another individual or object, thus honoring or commemorating their significance in a particular context.
The phrase "call after" does not have a specific etymology, as it is a combination of the words "call" and "after", which both have their own etymological origins.
The word "call" dates back to Old English "ceallian", which meant "to cry out, shout, or summon". It has roots in Proto-Germanic and can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root word "gal", meaning "to shout".
On the other hand, "after" comes from the Old English word "æftan", which means "behind, following". It can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "aftana" and the Proto-Indo-European root word "apo", meaning "off, away from".
When combined, "call after" refers to the action of naming someone or something in honor or memory of another person or thing.