Mitto mittere misi missum

Posted by Bruce Kahl on June 02, 2000

In Reply to: Giving the mitten posted by James Briggs on June 01, 2000

I dont think the term has anything to do with a glove.
The word "mitten" would be derived from the latin "mitto" which is conjugated thusly: mitto mittere misi missum.
Mitto means to send, dispatch; to send as a gift; to fling; to shed; to utter; to let go, release, give up; to dismiss, discharge; to pass over.
We have tons of words from mitto:
transmit, emit, permit etc.

Fired:
Just my thought: As a projectile is "fired" or discharged from a gun so is a person who has been let go or discharged from his job.
Just my unbackupable ( unbackupable?? ) theory!!