On Pseudonymous, Pseudo and Poseidon
Today at a research briefing with a client a new word sprang up on me. Pseudonymous. That's a word you don't hear everyday, hey?
According to Merriam-Webster:
Main Entry: pseu·don·y·mous
Pronunciation: sü-'dä-n&-m&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Greek pseudOnymos
: bearing or using a fictitious name (a pseudonymous report); also : being a pseudonym
This prompted another search...
Main Entry: pseu·do
Pronunciation: 'sü-(")dO
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin pseudo-
: being apparently rather than actually as stated : SHAM, SPURIOUS (distinction between true and pseudo humanism -- K. F. Reinhardt)
So, this means the two words that I suspected were related, are in fact, not. One is derived from Greek etymology and the other is from Middle English (in other words, Latin). Interesting. But those Greeks always claim all words in the world are all originated from Greece. Ha!
This then reminded me of a myth I heard while strolling the ancient ruins of Acropolis last Fall. It was about the rivalry that Poseidon and Athena had in trying to become the patron god of the city Athens. In the competition, both Poseidon and Athena agreed to give a gift to the city and let the citizens choose which gift they prefer the best.
Poseidon sprung a fountain, which was not very useful because it was salty - thus no use for neither drinking nor bathing. Athena gave the city an olive tree, which in effect provided the city with wood, foods, oil and some type of greenery (although olive trees are very ugly). Athena was chosen to be the patron goddess of the city Athens. Poseidon got really cranky and mad and sent flood to the city and generally made Zeus very angry. All in all, Poseidon is not a very nice god. He seems to be pissing everybody off all the time. No wonder he got the sea, and not the sky.
Oh yes, Poseidon is normally known as Neptune.
There you go, three things to muse about that are apparently not related, but sounded somewhat similar.
Taiko Tari out.
Labels: musings
posted by Taiko Tari @ 3:24 PM
6 Comments:
I would guess that the word "pseudo" is derived from Greek, too. And you might want to check "pseud-" or "pseudo-" as a combining form, which is definitely stated as derived from Greek.
Gosh, I hate it when you're right:
Main Entry: pseud-
Variant(s): or pseudo-
Function: combining form
Etymology: Greek, from pseudEs, from pseudesthai to lie; akin to Armenian sut lie and probably to Greek psychein to breathe -- more at PSYCH-
1 : false : spurious (pseudoclassic)
2 : temporary or substitute formation similar to (a specified thing) (pseudopodium)
3 : resembling, isomeric with, or related to (a specified chemical compound) (pseudoephedrine)
Though, what on earth are they doing with suggesting it coming from Middle English or Late Latin.
To think that I actually trust ANYTHING Merriam-Webster says.
*sulking*
I also headed to the dictionary after reading your post (yes, I am trying to avoid working -- does it show?? :)) I would guess that the word pseudo appeared in English for the first time during the Renaissance (Middle English) and that its roots can be traced to a word in late Latin which in turn comes from the Greek word (i.e. from Greek, to Latin, to us).
Jean - Okay! Thanks for the clarification. I should definitely study the roots of the language, then. Or I can continue writing blog posts and let linguists such as Femmy and you teach me the differences! Yes, I think that sounds more fun!
Tari, you are an absolute natural wonder -- your English skills and knowledge of the language is better than 99% of the native speakers out there.
Poseidon isn't "normally" known as Neptune. In Greek, he's Poseidon, in Latin, he's Neptune - neither language is either normal or abnormal. The Greeks mention a SeaGod first. Athena isn't always very nice, either, btw. None of the gods are, to my way of thinking. Poseidon isn't any nastier, really, than Zeus, although floods and earthquakes (Poseidon's special provenance) are very scary to people. Poseidon is capable of being nice, by providing currents and tradewinds that move Greek ships around and bring rain. The sea was also the main source of protein in the Greek diet (fish). The olive tree came to Greece from the Near East, the Athenians must have really enjoyed such an excellent source of flavor and calories.
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