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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!benson
From: benson@dcdwest.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: Latin and culture
Message-ID: <106@dcdwest.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-Feb-84 13:51:03 EST
Article-I.D.: dcdwest.106
Posted: Wed Feb 29 13:51:03 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 2-Mar-84 22:28:16 EST
References: <5920@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: ITT DCDWEST (San Diego)
Lines: 16

I must concur with jayembee.  Knowing the etymology of words is fun and
occasionally will help you out of a tight spot.  Most of the time, the
meanings of words have changed over the years and the culture along
with it.  The ancient roots will often lead you away from the modern
meaning. Consider 'consider', from the Latin considerare, lit. to
observe the stars.  The etymology does not lead one to the current
sense of the word.

Studying Latin or Greek (or Aramaic or Sanscrit or Swedish) is an end
in itself.  There are good writers, interesting ideas, and the intense
fun of translation.  To increase your vocabulary in English and improve
your writing style, I would recommend reading good English authors with
a good dictionary in hand.

Peter Benson
decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!benson