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4.1.1: Etymology (not Entomology)

  • Page ID
    360613

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    What is etymology?

    And what is entomology, for that matter? One is the study of bugs (insects, computer engineers): entomology. The other is the study of the origins of words and their varied meanings across time and space: etymology. Studying how a word gains new meanings is consuming work, but work that bring slow changes. An etymological (try saying that five times fast) analysis of words can reveal fascinating insights. Mapping changes in usage points to trends that help explain culture and society.

    Definition: Etymology

    "The history of a linguistic form (such as a word) shown by tracing its development since its earliest recorded occurrence in the language where it is found, by tracing its transmission from one language to another, by analyzing it into its component parts, by identifying its cognates in other languages, or by tracing it and its cognates to a common ancestral form in an ancestral language ("Etymology").

    Interactive Element

    Head on over to The Online Etymology Dictionary and look up any word you want: whatever pops into your head first. If you can't think of one, try looking up the word nomenclature.

    Work Cited

    "Etymology, N. (1). Merriam-Webster, 2022, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/etymology.