Winter 2016
Treasure Hunting Through Etymology
Medieval. Voyage. Oboe.
To many, these words have no relation at all.
Typically, a person would be unable to make any
connections about how they could be related in the
slightest. But think again, and look a bit more closely.
What exactly could relate them all together?
Latin.
Medieval derives from aevum, meaning age.
Voyage derives from via, meaning road. And oboe derives
from altus, meaning high.
The English dictionary owes much of its intricate language
to Latin and Greek. The more you analyze the derivation,
the more interesting it becomes. As the world progresses,
definitions of words become modernized. This leads to a
fascinating path of derivation. It almost seems like a secret
code, a hidden message embedded amongst a phrase,
sentence, or paragraph. That makes studying etymology
challenging, but also very rewarding.
Etymology is the study of the origins of words.
Looking at their history and how their form and meaning
have evolved over time is enriching. Through etymology,
we are able to explore the cultural context of a word, its
various usages, the people behind creating the word,
what life was like when that word was birthed, and more.
Have you ever wondered where a word came from? Take
the word “taxicab,” for example. We think of a taxicab as
a yellow car that transports people to and from a location.
However, it derives from the Latin word for goat.
Goat? Yes, goat. How? In 1907, a man named Harry
Nathaniel Allen imported the first gas-powered taxicabs
from France to New York City. He coined the term
“taxicab” as a contraction of “taximeter cabriolet.”
Zooming in on the word “cabriolet,” I learned that this
was a type of horse-drawn carriage, from the French word
“cabrioler” (meaning to leap), from Italian
“capriolare” (meaning “to jump”), and originally from the
Latin “capreolus” (meaning “wild goat”). So there you
have it. You will learn amazing facts when you dive deep
into a word!
Investigating the origins of a word breathes new life
and fresh insight. So classy Classicists, I
encourage you to hunt for
treasures, exploring the
world of words.
By Joseph Delamerced, Summit
Update Your Wardrobe: Roman Style
Step 1: Obtain a bedsheet. While not the most luxurious
of materials, the bed sheet is the most common and
versatile material used in DIYing a toga.
Step 2: Take the corner of your sheet in one hand. Leave
about 6-8" at the end. Hold it in front of one of your
shoulders.
Step 3: Wrap sheet around your body and under one arm.
Step 4: Bring up the second corner. After bringing it
across your chest, under your right arm, and around your
back, bring the second corner up over your back to the
top of your shoulder.
Step 5: Tie in a double knot, safety pin, or Roman style
pin.
Step 6: Finish your convention-ready look with Roman
jewelry and your convention name tag.
The Summit clan at NJCL Convention in 2015
By Caroline Klette, Summit
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