Recently, we have heard a lot, perhaps too much, about votes in the House of Commons, all of which, including two so-called “meaningful” votes, turned out to obfuscate further whatever […]
Jeff Aronson’s Words
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Lupus
One topic leads to another. Before describing the little finger, digitus minimus, I found that I needed to discuss minimalism. Both led me to lupus minimus, which now brings me […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Lupus minimus and esthiomene
Latin adjectives mostly form regular comparatives and superlatives: for example, longus, longior, longissimus (long, longer, longest), a self-descriptive sequence; or sapiens, sapientior, sapientissimus (wise, wiser, wisest). But there are exceptions. […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Naming the digits—the pinkie
After the thumb, the index finger, the middle finger, and the ring finger, we come to the fifth digit, the little finger. It was known in Latin as digitus minimus, […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Minimalism
Minimalism, the principle of using the minimum means necessary to achieve a desired result, was originally associated with various pictorial artists from the 1920s on, and was later introduced into […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Dragons and rings
My last two pieces have dealt with dragons and rings, two topics that merge in legend. The word “dragon” comes from an IndoEuropean root DERK, to look at. From this […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Naming the digits—the ring finger
Having previously discussed the thumb, the index finger, and the middle finger, I turn to the ring finger, which the Romans called digitus anularis, from anulus, the diminutive form of […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Dragon’s teeth
A colleague recently showed me a recipe, dating from around the beginning of the 20th century, for a tooth powder. It appeared to contain, among other things, dragon’s tooth. The […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Naming the digits—the middle finger
Having previously discussed the thumb and the index finger, I turn to the middle finger. The Greeks called the middle finger ὁ μέσος δάκτυλος and likewise the Romans called it […]
Jeffrey Aronson: When I use a word . . . Nihilitis
Here’s a word that isn’t to be found in any English dictionary, as far as I can tell, “nihilitis”. I have previously discussed the numerous ramifications of the IndoEuropean root […]