Meanings

RE: Meanings

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 18:16:37 GMT

Ooh.

Thank you, Iain. That is interesting.

Merda!

RE: Meanings

Iain Richards — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 16:37:39 GMT

Because I, a) cannot resist a challenge, especially when I'm sure I'm correct, and b) like researching in case I find something new or interesting...

Evelyn and Franciso are correct, but, alas for their ambition, haven't delved far enough into the past. The common root of the both words is a Proto Indo-European one - skei - to separate. Knowledge is separating truth from fiction; shit is separating waste from the body.

RE: Meanings

Francisco Gomez — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 13:21:08 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]

[quote user="Iain Richards"]The root of shit is a verb meaning to separate, schism has the same root. So to does science.[/quote]

I don't think so.

I'm pretty sure that science comes quite directly from the present participle of Latin scire, to know.

[/quote]

Coming from northerners:

We, Mediterraneans, don't do that sort of thing apparently.

RE: Meanings

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 13:16:28 GMT

[quote user="Iain Richards"]The root of shit is a verb meaning to separate, schism has the same root. So to does science.[/quote]

I don't think so.

I'm pretty sure that science comes quite directly from the present participle of Latin scire, to know.

RE: Meanings

Iain Richards — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 09:53:26 GMT

Around here, you'll be glad to hear that the noble arts of irony and wit are in good fettle. So it was with no small degree of paternal pride that last night I heard my son referred to as a, "Little Shit," after executing a smart direct hit with a return throw from long on.

As you say, language evolves, changes, swirls and gives endless amusment by poking fun wherever possible.

RE: Meanings

David Mills — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 23:46:40 GMT

[quote user="Iain Richards"]

I'm creating a tangent to the anaesthetic testing thread as the testiness is getting a little testing. David's post includes some long words and I'm a bear of little brain and long words bother me. I could look them up, but feel that a good communicator avoids jargon, let alone jargon in a dead language. And that got me thinking. The "crock of shit" comment that drew dislike in some quarters is, etymologically, a compliment. The root of shit is a verb meaning to separate, schism has the same root. So to does science. So George was actually told his contribution was a container of science.

[/quote]

Hat doffed, sir.

Ooop north (surprised you don't know this as a Cumbrian immigrant) crock of shit most definitely isn't complimentary but more Ronseal. Language evolves, happily. Just like "terrible".