School
This
time of year in the northern hemisphere, students & teachers are heading
back to school. This post takes a look at some of the words we associate with
school.
A
student
is one who studies, though in modern
American culture, not every student who fits the definition of study
established in the early 1100s, to
strive toward, devote oneself, cultivate or show zeal for. Of note is the
fact that study’s mother word from Proto-Indo-European was (s)teu-.
Its meaning may fit another percentage of the modern student population, to push, stick, knock or beat. Then
again, it’s possible that pushing,
knocking & beating may be a figurative reference to the parents & teachers
“encouraging” those students who aren’t naturally showing zeal for their education.
The
first English form of the word teach was tæcan, which meant to
show, point out, declare, direct, warn, persuade or demonstrate. It came
from Proto-Indo-European & is related to the words diction, dictionary, dictate,
& token.
The
word
education came to English in the 1400s from the Latin verb educare/educere, to rear, educate, train, nourish, or
support, made of the word parts ex + ducere, & meaning to lead out or draw forth.
Old
English’s leornian, to get
knowledge, be cultivated, study or read, gave us our modern word learn,
which came from the Proto-Indo-European word leis, to follow or find the track or furrow.
And
last, the word school showed up in Old English through Latin from the Greek
word skhole,
meaning spare time, leisure, rest, ease
or idleness, because one didn’t engage in such things as learning until the
work of surviving was done. Given that, I find it fascinating that skhole
comes from the Proto-Indo-European word segh, which meant to hold in one’s power.
Please
leave a thought or two about all this in the comments section.
Looks like you're writin' in redneck-speak there, Mr. Monger. We can get us some book-leornian in skhole, huh?
ReplyDeleteAnd school means holding onto power? I think that's still true. :-)
For most of my time within the walls of academe, I was the type of (s)teud-ents who needed a whole bunch of pushing, sticking, knocking, and beating, not to mention clubbing, pleading, and smacking upside the head.
ReplyDeleteI miss being in your class. That's the first comment that comes to mind.
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ReplyDeleteFrancis Bacon was right, "knowledge is power."
ReplyDeleteHey Trevor, Heather, Anne & Anonymous - thanks for coming by. Anonymous, you are not alone. A lot of students need a bit of a thump now & then, not like Trevor, who I miss having in class after lo these many years. I also miss Heather's phenomenally positive energy --no thumping needed there.
ReplyDeleteThe origin of the word "school" surprised me. It makes sense, though.
ReplyDeleteHowdy Vickie! It's true. Those crazy etymologists come up with some nutty stuff, don't they?
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