Here’s a Latin question I get once a week… “Why are there two ways to pronounce the same language?” It is often followed by this question: “Why not pronounce Latin the way the ancient Romans pronounced Latin?” Well… There’s the trouble. No one knows...
Third declension, and third declension neuter endings confused me when I was learning Latin. In time, I realized they weren’t so scary. If you, however, are still confused, this will...
Acantha: In botany, a prickle; in zoology, a spine or prickly fin. Acantha, in Greek mythology, was a beautiful nymph. Apollo fell in love with her. She resisted his advances. While pushing him away, she scratched his face. In anger, he turned her into a prickly...
Acupuncture: a jab well done; a form of medicine that pricks the skin with needles to alleviate pain. I find Noah Webster’s old definition interesting. “Among the Chinese, a surgical operation, performed by pricking the part affected with a needle.” From Latin Latin...
Fascinating article by John-Erik Jordan, a writer over at Babble languages. 139 Old Norse Words That Invaded The English Language When I say “Old English” what comes to mind? The ornate, hard-to-read script? Reading Beowulf in your high school English class? The kinds...
Acrolith: a stone head, a statue with a wooden body and head of stone. The U.S. government isn’t the only nation to debase. The “brilliant” powers that be have replaced the silver in our coins with cheaper metals. This official trickery is nothing new. In ancient...
Acuminate: ending in a sharp point. Look for this word in Botany books. Acuminate leaves are leaves that get to the point. Acuminate comes from the Latin verb acuminare (to sharpen to a point). It is related to the Latin word for needle,...
Ablative: a certain case of Latin nouns. The word derives from ablatus, which is from aufero, (to carry away), ultimately from ab (away) and fero (I carry). In it’s original sense, we use the ablative case when describing actions of carrying something away, or taking...
For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health. 1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans. 2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans. 3. The...
Disabuse: To free from a mistaken belief or error; to undeceive; to disengage from fallacy or deception; to set right. It is our duty to disabuse ourselves of false notions and prejudices. Disabuse comes from the Latin prefix dis- (away) and the verb abusus sum...
Abnormous: irregular; exaggerated; misshapen; enormous. This is an old word, one that has dropped out of use. What a shame. Let’s bring it back. Here’s a start: “Stop pulling me down with your abnormously negative attitude.” Abnormous is a combination...
In those days a boy on the classical side officially did almost nothing but the classics. I think this is wise; the greatest service we can do to education today is to teach fewer subjects. No one has time to do more than a few things well before he is twenty, and...
I received this email last week. Though I have tried to respond several times, the server keeps tossing it back my way. I am afraid it isn’t going through. I will post the email and my response here. Hopefully, you will find it. (You know who you are.) Of...
Acumen – a sharp point; and, figuratively, quickness of perception; keenness, shrewdness. For Example: Einstein’s powerful acumen revealed many secrets of the universe. Acumen derives from the Latin word for needle, acus.
Enigma: someone, or something mysterious, puzzling, difficult to understand. A riddle. Here’s an enigma… What word in the English Language is always spelled incorrectly? From Greek αἴνιγμα (dark saying, riddle).
Acidic: a substance containing acid; a sour or sharp taste. Acidic may also describe a remark or comment. An acidic comment is a cutting comment. When you notice a co-worker on Facebook, you might mutter an acidic comment. “Hashtag. Do your job.” Acidic comes from...
