The spelling of the word "wert insincere" may seem confusing at first, but it is just a variation of the phrase "were insincere" in older English dialects like Middle English. The pronunciation is /wɜrt ɪnsɪnˈsɪər/ with the "w" sound at the beginning followed by the "er" sound. The "t" is silent and the stress falls on the second syllable. So next time you come across this strange spelling, remember that it is simply an older variant of "were insincere".
"Wert insincere" is an archaic phrase that combines the old English word "wert," a second-person singular past tense of "to be," and the adjective "insincere." It implies a description of insincerity or lack of genuine intentions in the second person. When we break down the components of the phrase, "wert" means "were," which indicates a state of being in the past. Insincere means lacking in sincerity or genuine feeling; it describes someone who is not truthful or is deceitful in their words, actions, or intentions.
Therefore, "wert insincere" can be defined as a phrase used to describe someone who, in the past, demonstrated a lack of sincerity, honesty, or authenticity. It suggests that the person in question was not genuine or truthful in their interactions or intentions during a particular period. It implies that this individual may have pretended, deceived, or concealed their genuine thoughts, emotions, or motives.
It is important to note that this phrase is considered obsolete and is rarely used in contemporary language. It is primarily found in older literature, particularly from the early modern English period. Today, expressions like "you were insincere" or "you have been insincere" are more commonly employed to convey the same meaning.
The phrase "wert insincere" is not an isolated word with a specific etymology. Instead, it is a combination of two words: "wert" and "insincere". Let's take a brief look at the etymology of these individual words:
1. "Wert": This is the second person singular past tense of the verb "be" in Early Modern English. It is derived from the Old English word "wǣre/wǣron", which is the same form as the modern "were". Over time, the word "wert" in Early Modern English transitioned to "were" in contemporary English.
2. "Insincere": This word originates from the Latin prefix "in" meaning "not" and the Latin word "sincerus" meaning "clean, pure, genuine".