The etymology of the word is (to me) quite fascinating; we sometimes take for granted how they've come about, beyond their definitions. Do you like words and languages, or is it simply a tool, like math?

The etymology of the word is (to me) quite fascinating; we sometimes take for granted how they've come about, beyond their definitions. Do you like words and languages, or is it simply a tool, like math?
by

1 Answer

Answer :

answer:Great question! I loved your exposition of proclivity. Yes, I do have a proclivity for exploring words in their subtle meaning. I wish I had understood the power of knowing words in great depth when I was still in school and had more time to learn about them. That power didn’t really dawn on me till I read The **** of the Rings trilogy and discovered that Tolkien was a dedicated student of derivations and proto-Indo-European roots. He was able to craft such a realistic seeming world because he drew upon cultural heritage that all of us unwittingly have been shaped by.
by

Related questions

Do you find etymology to be fascinating?

Description : Do you find etymology to be fascinating?

Last Answer : Only in the sense that learning the origins of some words can help you to understand words in a different language when learning a new language. But for the most part, it is only ... when studying ancient languages and trying to decipher their meaning. But for everyday words not so interesting.

What is the etymology of these non-words?

Description : What is the etymology of these non-words?

Last Answer : uh inarticulate sound, attested from c. 1600; uh-huh, spoken affirmative (often ironic or non-committal) is recorded by 1894; negative uh-uh is attested from 1924. That’s from the Online Etymological Dictionary.

What are the appropriate words for these definitions?

Description : What are the appropriate words for these definitions?

Last Answer : answer:In 1) I think you are talking about bloat or feature creep . It's a bit hard to tell because of the way the question is phrased. In 2) I think you are talking about ... . Server programs are very much about interfaces- but interfaces between programs, not between a program and a person.

Word etymology help?

Description : Word etymology help?

Last Answer : OMG NO ,I have always used that term I really had to reef on that bolt to get it out People hat get all confused with sayings and terms drive me crazy, unless you explain it to them in perfect ... problem with a text message? How about I laughed my ass off how do explain that to these people?

what is the etymology of the word "tantrum"?

Description : what is the etymology of the word "tantrum"?

Last Answer : answer:I don't think anyone has the answer. The OED doesn't. Here's their entry: [Origin unascertained. (In Wallis's Room for the Cobbler of Gloucester (1668) 4 tantrum appears as a Welshman's ... Daughter 329 If we'd still been children, I might have been throwing stones at him in a tantrum.

Problems with using Lines of Code to measure the size of a product include(s) a) The creation of source code is only part of the development effort b) The Lines of Code (LOC) will differ between languages and cannot bemeasured for some languages c) Should comments, data definitions etc (i.e. non-executable LOC) be includedas well? D) The final size (kLOC) can only be determined once the product is delivered e) All of the above.

Description : Problems with using Lines of Code to measure the size of a product include(s) a) The creation of source code is only part of the development effort b) The Lines of Code (LOC) will differ between ... The final size (kLOC) can only be determined once the product is delivered e) All of the above.

Last Answer : e) All of the above.

How do these word parts fit into certain words, based on their definitions? (details inside)

Description : How do these word parts fit into certain words, based on their definitions? (details inside)

Last Answer : Here is the thing .. although some of the words have their roots in other languages ie Latin. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the root always functions the way it should.

It is easy for you to splurge when you have your mom's credit card, but remember after the feast comes the reckoning. (1) Trust is easy to break. (2) Truth can't be hidden forever. (3) Every action has a consequence. (4) Don't take your parents for granted

Description : It is easy for you to splurge when you have your mom's credit card, but remember after the feast comes the reckoning. (1) Trust is easy to break. (2) Truth can't be hidden forever. (3) Every action has a consequence. (4) Don't take your parents for granted

Last Answer : (3) Every action has a consequence.

Choose the option that best fits the usage of the word ̳illusion‘ as used in the extract. (a) He was never able to get past the illusion. (b) The illusion I experienced was quite intriguing. (c) A large mirror in the room creates an illusion. (d) I was living under the illusion that this is possible.

Description : Choose the option that best fits the usage of the word ̳illusion as used in the extract. (a) He was never able to get past the illusion. (b) The illusion I experienced was quite intriguing. (c ... mirror in the room creates an illusion. (d) I was living under the illusion that this is possible.

Last Answer : (d) I was living under the illusion that this is possible.

I am never quite what I appear to be. Straight-forward I seem, but it's only skin deep, for mystery most often lies beneath my simple speech. Sharpen your wits, open your eyes, look beyond my exteriors, read me backwards, forwards, upside down. Think critically and answer the question.What am I? -Riddles

Description : I am never quite what I appear to be. Straight-forward I seem, but it's only skin deep, for mystery most often lies beneath my simple speech. Sharpen your wits, open your eyes, look beyond ... , read me backwards, forwards, upside down. Think critically and answer the question.What am I? -Riddles

Last Answer : I am a Riddle!

Dr. Verbose earned her degree in etymology, the scientific study of words?

Description : Dr. Verbose earned her degree in etymology, the scientific study of words?

Last Answer : the scientific study of words

With which words do you prefer to scorn common definitions in favor of their old school usage?

Description : With which words do you prefer to scorn common definitions in favor of their old school usage?

Last Answer : I still prefer normality to normalcy . . . (and I wasn’t even alive during the Harding Administration).

How did Patrick get his wish granted by the elf? -English

Description : How did Patrick get his wish granted by the elf? -English

Last Answer : The little man granted Patrick a wish because he wanted to escape from the cat and did not want Patrick to give him back to the cat.

In the Alfred Hitchcock 1963's film "The Birds", quite simply, why do the bird attacks are concentrated on Bodega Bay?

Description : In the Alfred Hitchcock 1963's film "The Birds", quite simply, why do the bird attacks are concentrated on Bodega Bay?

Last Answer : Perhaps the wild birds attacked the humans there as a punishment for keeping the Love Birds captive in a cage.

Where does the phrase 'you must have a horseshoe up your a**' come from I know that it means you are very lucky, but i can't quite connect the words in the phrase with its meaning. Can someone please explain it to me Thanks.?

Description : Where does the phrase 'you must have a horseshoe up your a**' come from I know that it means you are very lucky, but i can't quite connect the words in the phrase with its meaning. Can someone please explain it to me Thanks.?

Last Answer : Answers is the place to go to get the answers you need and to ask the questions you want

What are some words with unique or fascinating characteristics?

Description : What are some words with unique or fascinating characteristics?

Last Answer : I always have had the feeling that onomatopoeia was an interesting word, precisely because it is not heterological.

What are word games like in languages other than English?

Description : What are word games like in languages other than English?

Last Answer : I have seen travellers on Chinese trains doing word puzzles to pass the time. It seems crossword puzzles are possible in Chinese. The grid looks the same but the clues are in Chinese and the answers are Chinese phrases rather than words. The grid contains Chinese characters instead of letters.

Is anyone here quite familiar with internet slang/slang? Especially slang in languages other than English.

Description : Is anyone here quite familiar with internet slang/slang? Especially slang in languages other than English.

Last Answer : In English and Vietnamese, yes. I’ll try.

Can you describe a simile as an ambiguous comparison or not, I don't know whether it quite makes sense?

Description : Can you describe a simile as an ambiguous comparison or not, I don't know whether it quite makes sense?

Last Answer : What an interesting question. Certainly makes a person think and this person thinks that most similes are ambiguous, though I wouldn't call them comparisons at all. Similes in my mind are various interpretations of ... different usages of words, i.e., we can't get stuck in the English language;-)

Are there any Web services available for free to retrieve the definitions of words?

Description : Are there any Web services available for free to retrieve the definitions of words?

Last Answer : http://www.dictionary.com and if you want slang words http://www.urbandictionary.com

Is the English language a whole bunch of made-up words, definitions, and grammar, or does it actually make sense?

Description : Is the English language a whole bunch of made-up words, definitions, and grammar, or does it actually make sense?

Last Answer : I make sense of the English language on a daily basis! :)

Calling all Wordsmiths: What is it called when there is the same or similar word in two different languages with totally different meanings (see details)?

Description : Calling all Wordsmiths: What is it called when there is the same or similar word in two different languages with totally different meanings (see details)?

Last Answer : Homonymy? Not sure if it also describe words in different languages.

Why do we confuse languages?

Description : Why do we confuse languages?

Last Answer : answer:As we go about using our brain, the synaptic connections between the neurons break and form all the time- new connections are made while old ones might be broken thats how we remember ... to your hard drive and retrieve Spanish data into your memory for easy and quick reference during exam!

Which sat 2 subjects should i take..definitely not foreign languages?

Description : Which sat 2 subjects should i take..definitely not foreign languages?

Last Answer : Math 1 is so easy. I’m awful at math and I got a 650 I think. It’s a safe bet. You only need to take two, usually. So if you did well on Biology, just do one more.

For what logical reason would a cookbook ghost writer come out and admit all the celeb chefs they've written cookbooks for, unless they wanted their careers to end?

Description : For what logical reason would a cookbook ghost writer come out and admit all the celeb chefs they've written cookbooks for, unless they wanted their careers to end?

Last Answer : So they can sell under their own name. Duh. Instant celebrity!

Are there any other languages that capitalize their version of I?

Description : Are there any other languages that capitalize their version of I?

Last Answer : In German, all nouns are capitalized. I can’t remember if pronouns are as well, but perhaps that is where the whole thing comes from.

Why is my hair sometimes quite thick, and at other times seems thin?

Description : Why is my hair sometimes quite thick, and at other times seems thin?

Last Answer : Not a phenomenon at all, perfectly natural for the treatment and maintenance of your hair. For instance more than likely it's currently dry or it's naturally frizzy but thin when wet. This is ... interference, or vice versa, then I too would like an explanation (unless it's simply static friction)

Are you quite self-destructive sometimes?

Description : Are you quite self-destructive sometimes?

Last Answer : Mine is subtle. I sometimes eat in a self destructive way. Right now it's under control. I have been on a diet and exercise plan, but I know that I have to stay on top of it or I could easily gain 50 ... heavier. One day at a time, I need to focus on healthy diet and exercise. (Now, off to yoga.)

What is the etymology of the word "secular"?

Description : What is the etymology of the word "secular"?

Last Answer : answer:secular (adj.) c.1300, living in the world, not belonging to a religious order, also belonging to the state, from Old French seculer (Modern French séculier), from Late Latin ... God from matters of ethics and morality, from 1850s. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=secular

What is the etymology of the word 'Congress'?

Description : What is the etymology of the word 'Congress'?

Last Answer : im gonna guess something greek/latin

What is the origin and etymology of the word SINCERE?

Description : What is the origin and etymology of the word SINCERE?

Last Answer : Wikipedia would love to answer that.

Which sentence describes the etymology of a word?

Description : Which sentence describes the etymology of a word?

Last Answer : The root pod in podiatry comes from the greek word for foot.

What is the etymology of the word government?

Description : What is the etymology of the word government?

Last Answer : Need answer

How does A thesaurus gives the etymology of a word?

Description : How does A thesaurus gives the etymology of a word?

Last Answer : Need answer

While we believe that BMI is a standard in measuring the fat in our body, there is a growing ______ among scientists that it may not be the best tool to do so. (1) concord (2) consensus (3) congruous (4) confluence

Description : While we believe that BMI is a standard in measuring the fat in our body, there is a growing ______ among scientists that it may not be the best tool to do so. (1) concord (2) consensus (3) congruous (4) confluence

Last Answer : (2) consensus

What is the math from turning a circle into a sphere and beyond ?

Description : What is the math from turning a circle into a sphere and beyond ?

Last Answer : Although hypercube can refer to a four dimensional cube, the term also refers to any n dimensional cube. The proper term for 4 dimensional cube is teseract. Hypersphere also refers to spheres in more ... found this picture of a hypersphere, which I think does a pretty good job of representing it.

What are some cures, or tips, for high school and beyond math anxiety?

Description : What are some cures, or tips, for high school and beyond math anxiety?

Last Answer : answer:Math is a subject that builds on itself. So it is important to master each lesson before moving on to the next. That means every bit of homework needs to be done. And if one does not grasp a concept, help from the instructor should be sought as soon as possible.

Why do the British say maths and people in the US simply call it math?

Description : Why do the British say maths and people in the US simply call it math?

Last Answer : because the full word is mathematics

I control what once was, what is, and what is to come. Some know not to waste me, whilst others take me for granted. What am I? -Riddles

Description : I control what once was, what is, and what is to come. Some know not to waste me, whilst others take me for granted. What am I? -Riddles

Last Answer : Time.

Which among the following definitions are correct: a) Epistemology - It is a study of the kinds of knowledge that are required for solving problems in the world b) Ontology - It is the study of the kinds of things that exist. In AI, the programs and sentences deal with various kinds of objects, and we study what these kinds are and what their basic properties are. Emphasis on ontology begins in the 1990s. c) Both of Above d) None of These

Description : Which among the following definitions are correct: a) Epistemology - It is a study of the kinds of knowledge that are required for solving problems in the world b) Ontology - It is the study of the ... basic properties are. Emphasis on ontology begins in the 1990s. c) Both of Above d) None of These

Last Answer : c) Both of Above

How common is heteronymity in non-English languages?

Description : How common is heteronymity in non-English languages?

Last Answer : I took four years of French in school, and while I’m not really fluent, I haven’t ever come across any that I can recall. That’s not to say there aren’t any, but I’d suspect that they aren’t too common.

What are the most important languages in business life?

Description : What are the most important languages in business life?

Last Answer : If I were doing international business I would say Chinese (Mandarin), Russian, Spanish, German, and like you said English. But it would be hard to learn all the languages, but important.

According to the author, it is easier for (1) Indians to have a profound knowledge of Arabic literature and science than learn English. (2) Indians to learn Sanskrit than for Englishmen to appreciate Greek literature. (3) foreigners to learn Indian language than for Indians to learn foreign languages. (4) Indian to appreciat

Description : According to the author, it is easier for (1) Indians to have a profound knowledge of Arabic literature and science than learn English. (2) Indians to learn Sanskrit than for Englishmen to ... foreigners to learn Indian language than for Indians to learn foreign languages. (4) Indian to appreciat

Last Answer : 3) foreigners to learn Indian language than for Indians to learn foreign languages

Corporate social responsibility that extends beyond legal mandates can help meet societal expectations in the absence of A. Statutory devices B. Social tool C. Cost tool and Techniques D. Science tool

Description : Corporate social responsibility that extends beyond legal mandates can help meet societal expectations in the absence of A. Statutory devices B. Social tool C. Cost tool and Techniques D. Science tool

Last Answer : A. Statutory devices

Ok wordsmiths - what's the most fascinating word to you - and why?

Description : Ok wordsmiths - what's the most fascinating word to you - and why?

Last Answer : The nascent social medium of microblogging is rapidly integrating into everyday life. Every now and then words from quizzing the kids for SAT prep (oh, all those flash cards!) stick in my head. I ... everyday conversation, much to the chagrin of some of my coworkers. I like the sound of nascent.

I have so many family photos that I simply sometimes forget about them. Are there any tips on how to organize them?

Description : I have so many family photos that I simply sometimes forget about them. Are there any tips on how to organize them?

Last Answer : The way I organized them is quite simple and effective. Couple of shoe boxes. Guaranteed hours of nostalgic fun. Every time you browse through them it’s a complete surprise what you’ll encounter next.

How many different definitions are there for the word love?

Description : How many different definitions are there for the word love?

Last Answer : And that’s only English.

Does anyone know a translation tool that translates phonetically...

Description : Does anyone know a translation tool that translates phonetically...

Last Answer : You mean like this? ταμπεχ? (tampex). Or this; Good morning; καλημέρα : kalemeyra. Or this; Thank you; ευχαριστία: aypharistia. I have the Greek alphabet memorized so I did the transliteration myself. http://www.translatum.gr/

Etymology question: Is there a derivative relationship between the name BORG (of Star Trek fame) and the Borgia family dynasty of the 15th and 16th century?

Description : Etymology question: Is there a derivative relationship between the name BORG (of Star Trek fame) and the Borgia family dynasty of the 15th and 16th century?

Last Answer : I think it comes from Cyborg Definition of cyborg: a person whose body contains mechanical or electrical devices and whose abilities are greater than the abilities of normal humans. 1960s: blend of cyber- and organism.

Does anyone know a GOOD website that explains the meaning or etymology of given ("first") names?

Description : Does anyone know a GOOD website that explains the meaning or etymology of given ("first") names?

Last Answer : I can’t vouch for them (and how would one even know if it’s a “good” site or not?) but here is this