Patho-logy
Sathyaish
refers to the science of the study of disease. The suffix "logy"
cannotes study or persuasion, and my inference: the root "patho" or
some derivative of the word implies disease or maladaption or
compulsive aberration. Yet, when I see the word in all its hues,
pathetic, pathological etc., I fail to reconcile the lexical
foundation of the word patho.
Help appreciated.
mUs1Ka
Look up 'pathos' in a dictionary. Its original (Greek) meaning will help
with your reconciliation.
m.
Michael Nitabach
news:7b662036.04021...@posting.google.com:
> I fail to reconcile the lexical
> foundation of the word patho.
The Greek root "pathos" means suffering.
--
Mike Nitabach
Arcadian Rises
<mUs...@exite.com> writes:
I fail to reconcile "path" in "osteopath" with path's lexical foundation.
Arcadian Rises
Then what do you make of "path" in "osteopath" or "naturopath"?
Martin Ambuhl
> I fail to reconcile "path" in "osteopath" with path's lexical foundation.
[COD10: the 'e:' is an e-macron]
-path
· comb. form
1 denoting a practitioner of curative treatment: homeopath.
2 denoting a person who suffers from a disease: psychopath.
– ORIGIN back-form. from -pathy, or from Gk -pathe:s ‘-sufferer’.
--
Martin Ambuhl
Martin Ambuhl
> Then what do you make of "path" in "osteopath" or "naturopath"?
Once again:
Arcadian Rises
Once again: I fail to reconcile "path" in "homeopath"
[1 denoting a practitioner of curative treatment: homeopath]
with path's lexical foundation.
[ ORIGIN back-form. from -pathy, or from Gk -pathe:s ‘-sufferer’.]
mUs1Ka
>
> Once again: I fail to reconcile "path" in "homeopath"
> [1 denoting a practitioner of curative treatment: homeopath]
>
> with path's lexical foundation.
>
> [ ORIGIN back-form. from -pathy, or from Gk -pathe:s '-sufferer'.]
Homeopathy - treating a disease by prescribing small doses of "drugs" which
produce symptoms *similar* to those of the [1] *disease* itself.
Homeo - similar
pathy - suffering
[1] disease - dis + ease - suffering.
m.
Donna Richoux
What is there to reconcile? You know what a "back-formation" means,
right? First there was a noun "homeopathy," and then someone decided
that a person who practices homeopathy must be a "homeopath." It just
comes from shortening the form of the word, it no longer relates to the
original root histories.
There are lots of back formations but naturally all examples escape me.
Except that just the other day, someone pointed out that
"trouble-shooter" existed before "trouble-shoot."
--
Best -- Donna Richoux
Michael West
I take your point. I'd guess those are simply truncated forms, for
convenience, of "osteopathic practitioner" or whatever. Maybe.
--
Michael West
Arcadian Rises
Richoux) writes:
>
>What is there to reconcile? You know what a "back-formation" means,
>right? First there was a noun "homeopathy," and then someone decided
>that a person who practices homeopathy must be a "homeopath." It just
>comes from shortening the form of the word, it no longer relates to the
>original root histories.
>
You're absolutely right, there is not need of reconciliation, or even slightest
agreement with etymology in cases of back formation.
back-formation
n : a word invented (usually unwittingly by subtracting an affix) on the
assumption that a familiar word derives from it.
>There are lots of back formations but naturally all examples escape me.
The typical example is "Utopia" (Gr for nowhere land). But one of the most
illistrative examples is "cheesburger".
Arcadian Rises
<mUs...@exite.com> writes:
That explains "homeopathy", but not "homeopath".
mUs1Ka
Don't be cute. You have already replied to Donna's post about backformation.
Besides which, the answer is in your own post.
... path - backformation of ...pathy. I didn't realise you were a troll. Now
I know.
m.
Arcadian Rises
The answer is in Donna's post: there is nothing to be reconciled when it's a
backformation.
>... path - backformation of ...pathy.
That was not _your_ explanation, but I'm glad you finally got the point.
>I didn't realise you were a troll. Now
>I know.
If clarifying a point makes one a troll, then I'm glad to be a troll. And a
cute one, as you said.
mUs1Ka
>> From: "mUs1Ka" mUs...@exite.com
>
> The answer is in Donna's post: there is nothing to be reconciled when
> it's a backformation.
>
>> ... path - backformation of ...pathy.
>
>
Sorry, I credited you with some intelligence to take the little step on your
own. I won't do it again.
m.