Know Thyself through Language
Entmology /ET-im-OL-ə-jee/ n./: the study of the origin and evolution of words—including their constituent units of sound and meaning across time.
Language has always fascinated me. Words have little stories within them, if you know how to read them, or, if you notice them. I find I use words and phrases reflexively, sometimes without knowing the real meaning behind the words. I’m using them correctly, usually, but it is knee-jerk more than saying them because they fit the situation better than other words would. Or I’m so comfortable with a word that I didn’t notice there was a meaning there, often pretty obvious, that I had taken for granted.
For instance: I love the movie Caddyshack but it wasn’t until I watched it last week for the, at least, 59th time, before I realized that the name ‘Caddyshack’ referred to the structure the caddies hang out at beyond the sight of the members of the gold club. It was just the name of the movie to me.
I have used the phrase ‘Suffice it to say’ incorrectly….recently.
I didn’t consider where the names of the months come from. I knew July was renamed in Julius Caesar’s honor after his death, and I knew Octavian, aka Augustus, named August after himself. But I didn’t know that Caligula, Nero, Domitian and Commodus named at least one month after themselves. These reboots didn’t stick as these men proved to be profoundly unpopular after they were murdered or committed suicide. Side note: Commodus renamed all 12 months after himself, the end of his reign was thought of as increasingly dictatorial, he created a personality cult or cult of the leader where he deified himself, and went so far as to perform as a gladiator in the Colosseum. Ironically at the age of 31, he was assassinated by a wrestler named….and I’m not making this up….Narcissus. Yeah history!
I knew Benedict Arnold was a traitor, but not specifically what he was a traitor for, till I looked it up.
Did you know that the word Jesus means Christ? So his name is Christ Christ. Repetitive, but spiced up with a synonym, like the 80’s band Mr. Mister.
I thought I knew what being ‘Machiavellian’ meant….I didn’t.
I’m going to keep noticing words/phrases that just tumble out with little to no known backstory, and learn about them.
I like (knowing the) meaning (of) what I say.
Last Updated on 09/16/2025 by Death of Hypatia Inc.
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